


PROPHECY

by lemon_and_chai, neumegami



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Alternate Universe, BSDM, Bondage, Lemon, M/M, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, noncon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:39:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 144,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2742908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_and_chai/pseuds/lemon_and_chai, https://archiveofourown.org/users/neumegami/pseuds/neumegami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prophecy that tore them all apart. The ending that will bring them back together.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>But at what cost...</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New

**Author's Note:**

> Co-written with neumegai! The ideas and many of the scenes are hers: I just weaved them together with a few of my own. =^__^= A beautiful joint project, and my NaNoWriMo novel for three years in a row.

_Hm, exactly like the pictures,_ Ryouma thought, as he stepped out of the taxi. He turned back to his seat to pull out a cat carrier, checking to see that his one true companion and only ever friend was alright. Karupin glared back at him with narrowed eyes, but he knew she was fine, just pouting.

The driver unloaded his luggage - a large black suitcase, so big it almost went up to his shoulder. He wasn’t particularly small for his age, but he was twelve, and he still had many more years of growth ahead. His whole life was in there, along with Karupin's things, though Ryouma remembered packing more cat toys than clothes.

Before him, rising impressively at the end of the long, private road, was a massive building. It was an old, western-style complex, matching the photographs he'd seen as a child, carefully preserved images as old as a hundred years. He counted the windows going up, four stories like he remembered, and a span too long for him to guess the number of rooms. Two wings flanked him on either side, enfolding its occupants in a symmetrical U. 

Behind him, he could hear the creak of the gates as they opened to release the taxi. The cab driver seemed familiar with the place, and did not want to be there a second longer than he had to. It was no wonder, with the cold, grey atmosphere that soaked throughout the campus. Many of the windows were dark, matching the gloom of the day's cloudy sky, and other than the long stretches of green grass welcoming those who approached, the building was devoid of color, just grey, dark walls.

Ryouma dragged forward, suitcase tilted in one hand, and cat carrier in the other, creating an awkward balance from the different weights. He was relieved when he saw Oishi, the black haired man who he'd met a few weeks before, run from the building towards him. The doctor was just as kind as he'd appeared, greeting the pre-teen with a friendly smile and taking his suitcase.

"Hope your trip was good," Oishi said, his calm, cheerful demeanor out of place with the rest of the yard. The few other employees Ryouma had seen wore cold, indifferent expressions or heavy frowns, that only seemed to deepen upon seeing him, presumably a kid, obviously about to move in. "I'll leave this at the entrance and one of the staff will take your luggage to the dorm."

Ryouma wanted to ask which entrance, but he kept quiet as he always did. That was how he operated: Keep quiet and observe. Figure out each person and situation.

Then plan your strategy of attack.

Oishi led him through the first doors they came to, up a short flight of stairs, and into a surprisingly narrow hallway. It ran along the left wing of the building, explaining the identical row of windows, and made him wonder what lay behind the many doors they passed. These doors were not identical in any sense; they were spaced differently, some were doubled while other were single, and even the decoration and plants around them varied.

They passed a few more people as they made their way down the hall, some looked like staff, others wore uniforms, similar to what his dad had worn. Most of them greeted Oishi, with a simple, “Doctor,” or “Good Afternoon,” before hurrying on their way. Towards Ryouma, they merely gave weary, uncertain glances.

It all matched with what he knew about this place. Everything was mysterious, everyone was secretive.

And it was those secrets that Ryouma had come to unlock.

* * *

Fuji Syuusuke set the paper down on his desk with a frown.

"Echizen Ryouma?" The name Echizen popped out with a strange brightness from the information sheet. Sighing, the hunter looked up at the other man in the room, his expression matching his question, "Why?"

Unwavering in his perfectly pressed uniform, Sanada Genichiro replied, "Because he is new." His decision was as unchangeable as his expression. He spun around, stepping towards the exit in finality. "And you were new too once. You will learn just how much trouble you've been putting me through."

Fuji was silent for a moment, before his usual smile stretched over his lips. "I love you, too."

* * *

Oishi stopped in front of a set of oak double doors, beautifully engraved with soft, decorative curves. As he pulled open the right door, he opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sudden, frantic yell:

"What the hell, who said I loved you?!"

Ryouma had to jump back as the left door flew open, and a flushed, furious looking man burst from the room. The pre-teen didn't like to be intimidated, but he stepped respectfully out of the man's way, noting from the uniform that this man was the level of a commander. His hat sat perfectly centered, his pins lined along his collar, and with his tall, broad body and chiselled face he looked every bit the part of a military leader.

By his angry, grimacing face, he was obviously the source of the yell. He took a sharp look at Ryouma, and the pre-teen felt his heart skip as the man reached down, and to his surprise, pushed him into the room with a strong pat on the back.

"Tarundarou! He's on your team now, so deal with him."

The commander stomped away, leaving Ryouma wide eyed, but he snapped out of it when he heard Oishi chuckle.

"Really, Fuji... you shouldn't tease Sanada so much, you're giving him grey hairs." Oishi's eyes twinkled as he spoke, and Ryouma took a look around the room, stopping when his eyes came to rest on the one Oishi was speaking to.

"Oh, he needn't worry about grey hairs. It's the wrinkles on his forehead that keep deepening." 

The person at the center of the room smiled, his voice soft and rather effeminate. His light brown hair trailed down around his face, far too long for a male, and it was hard to see his eyes with the way he squinted. If it weren't for his obvious lack of chest, and the style of his uniform, Ryouma would have questioned his gender.

"Hm...." Ryouma smirked, refusing to be caught in the anticipation of being the new guy. He looked the slim figure up and down, making it clear that he was making an evaluation. "So you're him, huh? Fuji Syuusuke."

"Ryouma, Fuji is a lieutenant commander," Oishi chided gently. "You should address him with respect. He's not only your superior; from today on, he'll be the one in charge of you."

Fuji chuckled lightly, stepping from his desk towards the window. "It's nice to meet you, Echizen Ryouma. However, I won't be your direct supervisor. Momo, Kaidoh -"

"Here," said a deep, raspy voice on Ryouma's right. He swallowed his shock, refusing to show weakness, but he had no idea when this guy came in. He wore his uniform cap quite formally, but he hunched both his back and neck in such a way that the brim cast a shadow over his face, making his features hard to make out. "Kaidoh Kaoru, reporting."

"Heh, so lamely formal," a cheerful, lively voice came from Ryouma's left, making his head jerk sharply. The spiky haired man who had slipped up next to him had ditched his uniform cap, showing off his smiling, excited looking face. "Momoshiro Takeshi, at your service, boss! You can just call me Momo," the tall guy winked, friendly, but all Ryouma could think was that he needed to have his lapels pressed. They weren't flipped out right, and wrinkles were visible on his dress shirt under his jacket.

Fuji just smiled, his lips pressed together thinly, and Ryouma quickly noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Momo, Kaidoh. The two of you will coordinate as Ryouma's supervisors-"

"Oi oi," Momo interrupted, "You're not saying I have to work with Mr. Gloom and Doom over here-"

"Sorry for being so gloomy," Kaido growled, and he looked a second away from grabbing Momo by the tie and jerking him forward, to glare into his face. "It's better than acting stupid all the time-"

A light, effeminate chuckle silenced them, and they all turned to look at Fuji. "I'm sure you'll both be fine. Echizen Ryouma, with your family's history, I'm sure you must have had some training, yes?"

"Hmph," Ryouma smirked. "Duel me, and I'll show you what I know."

Everyone in the room froze, astonished by Ryoma's cockiness, just as he wanted - everyone except for Fuji.

"Eventually, yes," the lieutenant commander airily replied. "So you know how to fight, and you know who I am, so you must know the history of the Four Families, and of course, the Organization."

"One version of it," Ryouma shrugged, but his eyes were challenging. "I'm sure I have plenty to learn... Fuji-sempai."

Quietly, Fuji turned away to stare out the window. "I suppose, then, I'll start with the standard beginning." He drew back the curtain, though with the overcast sky, little more light came in. "Our group specializes in a certain cases... those related to vampires that are stronger, or more unique, often those that are older and from powerful bloodlines. We call these vampires true bloods.

“In this beautiful world, true blood vampires are one of the most mysterious creatures. There is very little to tell them apart from humans, except that they have cold blood and are really beautiful."

"Then," Ryouma cut him off, a cocky little smirk dripped on his face. "Aren't you one of them, Fuji-sempai?"

“Echizen!” Momo cried in offense, while Kaido snorted in disapproval. It seemed, Ryouma noted, that the one thing these two had in common was respect for their boss. Fuji just made a curious O with his mouth, obviously unoffended as his lips then curled into a smirk.

Blue, crystal blue eyes were looking at Ryouma, beautiful and undoubtedly cold.

“I’m their hunter, aren’t I?” Even Fuji’s smile, the soft tone of his voice, all shone of ice. Ryouma had never met a man so calm, so smoothly evasive of his provocations.

“In order to catch someone of that quality,

“Don’t you need to be one step ahead of them?”

* * *

Oishi slipped from Fuji’s office as Momo and Kaido introduced himself. He wasn’t part of their group, and he knew it wasn’t his place to intrude. He trusted Fuji to take care of Ryouma, or rather, that Ryouma would take care of himself. The boy’s cocky, independent attitude was the main reason that, after his medical evaluation, Oishi decided to recommend him to Sanada. The commander had been looking for someone to add to Fuji’s group, and the timing couldn’t have been better.

Still, the doctor couldn’t help but worry. Would Ryouma really fit in there? Fuji, Momo, and Kaido shared a bond that went far beyond their partnership in the organization, that Ryouma would never be a part of. And the ebony eyed prodigy was now the youngest hunter in the organization; he wouldn’t have any true peers, though perhaps he could mix in with the trainees. But he was far more advanced in his skills, and as the heir of one of the four ancient families, he would stick out like a sore thumb.

“... And what if he didn’t pack everything?” The doctor mumbled to himself. “His mother and Nanako-san weren’t able to travel with him, he must have been on his own - _ouch!_ ” 

A soft growl drew his attention, and he squatted down to look at the cat kennel he’d tripped over. Ryouma must have left it outside the office, rather than leaving it for the staff to move. “Sorry, cute fellow,” Oishi smiled amiably at the fluffy cat, receiving an irritated glare in reply. He chuckled to himself, thinking the cat’s expressions matched his masters. “Don’t worry, I’m sure your owner will be done in a little while.”

He stood and continued on his way, not noticing the kennel door open with the push of a paw, the latch having come undone when he tripped on it.

* * *

“For hundreds of years, humans and vampires lived in peace.” Fuji’s voice was melodic, rhythmic as he repeated the history he had heard so many times. “There were rules, rules that governed how vampires lived and fed, that formed the basis of an alliance. 

“This alliance was managed by four great houses... the Fujis and the Yukimuras, two families with the blood of ancient powers, represented the humans. Because of their abilities, they were respected by the vampires, or perhaps just feared... but it created a balance with the other two families, the Echizens and the Ryuuzakis, who were the most powerful of the vampiric groups.

“The great houses managed the smaller vampiric houses, enforcing the rules and ensuring longevity for both sides. After all, vampires live off humans; if too many humans were turned or killed, in other words, the feeders out numbered the feed, they would also not survive. 

“Vampires can feed without killing their prey, and the humans being fed off of are not necessarily uncomfortable... some even claim to enjoy it. It's an arrangement which has served the alliance of the four houses well."

Snorting, Ryouma interrupted, “But now the houses are gone... except for the Fujis.” He glared hard at Fuji, but the hunter’s cerulean orbs remained hidden. 

“Yes...” The lithe hunter continued softly, his smile shrinking. “Many wars have been fought, and even in times of supposed peace, the power of the four families shifted. The Yukimuras.... are all but destroyed, except for the traitors, the cursed twins. The Ryuuzakis are also long gone. And as for the Echizens...”

Ryouma shrugged nonchalantly. “We’re around.”

Sighing, Fuji straightened to face the newest member of his team. “I can tell I'm not teaching you anything new.” He raised his hand in dismissal, and Momo and Kaido straightened to salute, while Ryouma just shifted on his feet. “Go to your room, and unpack your things. You have a new life to settle in to.”

Kaido was gone the second Fuji gave his dismissal, but Momo stopped and turned to Ryouma with a friendly grin. "Guess it's up to me to show the new guy around, huh?"

"Che," Ryouma muttered. He wanted Fuji to have to show him around, but it looked like the group leader was tired and ready to be left alone.

"Awe common, I've always wanted an underclassman." Momo draped his arm around Ryouma's shoulders, making the boy squirm in place. "I know! You can call me Momo-sempai."

Momo was annoying, but he wasn't so bad, Ryouma decided. At least he wasn't trying to act like his boss, just because he was the new guy and Fuji had pretty much said he was at the bottom of the group's pyramid. Ryouma figured he'd go along with the guy for a little while, at least while he figured his new life out.

He took one glance back at his new boss before they left. Fuji was still looking away, towards the window, and all Ryouma could think was that those blue eyes looked cold, even though the brunette was smiling.

* * *

Kaido couldn't wait to get out of the office, closing the double doors swiftly behind him. He hated playing the happy family game, pretending they were just like any other team of hunters getting a new member. Sanada was wrong to assign them a team member beyond the three of them. Ryouma didn't know about their connection; he didn't belong there.

The scowl on Kaido's face disappeared, though, when he saw the cat kennel by the door. He'd noticed the Himalayan earlier, before Fuji'd called them into the room, and bent down to say hello. Their new member had a very pretty cat, with big eyes and white, fluffy fur, and he couldn't help but want to take it out and hold it. 

But he had a reputation to uphold, as the tough, cold one, compared to Momo who was the brash, loud idiot, and being tough and cold did not go well with liking and playing with kitties. Oh, but he did like kitties, he just hoped no one would notice as he bent down again...

...and realized the kennel was open. And, to make matters dire, empty.

The door was pushed out just barely, so it wasn't noticeable until he'd bent down, and he could tell it must have swung back on its own. 

_Oh no,_ he thought. _The poor cat must be terrified, alone and lost in a new place, after a long ride in a cage -_

"Merow?"

He twisted around, and let out a huge hiss of relief when he saw the fluffy, wide eyed Himalayan looking back at him. She was crouched under one of the many small tables that lined the hallway, only a few feet away.

"Hello," he said in as nice a voice as he could, which was still sort of gruff and grinding. "It's good you didn't run away. This is a bad place to get lost in."

She tilted her head to the side, her tail swishing back and forth as she evaluated him.

"Here, here kitty," he said, smiling slightly, waving his fingers at her and wishing he had a toy. "I need to get you back in your kennel. Here kitty...."

Her tail swished a few more times, before she pounced out to attack his fingers. Her eagerness made Kaido smile, and he carefully slipped his hand under her stomach, and lifted her up into his arms. He glanced around, checking that the hallway was still empty, before giving her a few strokes.

She had the most lovely purr, relaxing in his arms, but then he heard the click of the door. He quickly dropped down and rushed to put her back in the kennel, but she screeched and dug her claws into his sleeve, refusing to go back. 

“What are you doing to Karupin?!”

Kaidoh swung his head, to see a fuming Echizen Ryouma glaring down at him. He looked back down at Karupin, who looked up at him with an unhelpful frown, digging her claws a little deeper into his sleeve.

“Let go of my cat!” Ryouma yelled, and Kaidoh didn’t have to do anything because Karupin jumped from his arms, running right to Ryouma who scooped her up into a precious ball.

Kaido felt his heart sink, feeling abandoned. The Himalayan looked over at him as she purred, just as she had a second ago, this time for Ryouma, and her eyes seemed to say, ‘Sorry, owner comes first. Oh but don’t worry, you’re still my second choice when it comes to attention and treats.’

“Did he hurt you Karupin?” Ryouma spoke in a funny, high pitched voice. “Did you scratch him? Next time, you really have to scratch him.”

Behind Ryouma, Momo snorted into his sleeve, and Kaido could see his long time comrade was trying very hard not to laugh. That asshole, he knew of Kaido’s secret love for animals, and he was completely amused by this misunderstanding.

“You! Playdo or whatever,” Ryouma glared at him, his eyes furious. “Don’t you ever, ever touch my cat!”

Kaido opened his mouth to explain, correct his name, or something, but he had always been an awkward speaker, and he just couldn’t think of what to say. He’d be furious too, if he thought someone was abusing such a beautiful feline.

“Yo-you know,” Momo chortled, “This - err, bully,” his lips were practically peeling, and he was completely failing at keeping in his laughter, which was coming out in breathless spurts, “Won’t learn unless you teach him a lesson.”

 _What the hell do you think you’re doing?!_ Kaido wanted to yell, but all that came out was a seething hiss. Which made Momo laugh even harder.

“Good point, Momo-sempai,” Ryouma growled. “Kaido Kaoru, I challenge you to a duel!”

* * *

Momo explained the rules as they walked back from the dorms.

"It's kind of like flag football," he grinned, as he attached the ribbon that was the 'flag' onto the hook on Ryouma's belt. "Just remember: no weapons or tools. All powers are okay... your file says you're an all-rounder?"

Ryouma shrugged, hopping a bit on his shoes. He barely glanced at his opponent, who was crouched down at the other end of the gym. Kaido's lips were pursed, his face in what Ryouma was starting to think was a permanent scowl. 

"Okay, the limits are the edges of the basketball court." Both players took their positions at either end. "Oh, and just so you know, the flag is spelled so you can't pull at it with anything, ya know, mental." Momo winked, making the young boy scowl. As if Ryouma would cheat with anything so simple!

"And seriously, Oishi will cry if either of you end up in his office, so make it clean. ... Three... two... one... go!"

Neither duelist dashed out. Kaidoh was clearly too experienced for such an amateur tactic, and Ryouma wanted his win to be clear, nothing rushed or that looked lucky. They both paced towards each other cautiously. Kaidoh hunched even further, swaying a bit, his long arms swinging from side to side.

"Hm... those arms of yours must be handy in a game like this," Ryouma smirked, but he wasn't intimidated at all.

Instead, he dashed forward, straight towards his opponent's stomach. Kaidoh predictably shot out his arms, instinctively trying to grab him, which would make snatching his flag off his back all too easy. But Ryouma had no trouble diving underneath them, and with Kaidoh's large limbs, he couldn't move them quickly enough to hold the small pre-teen in place. 

Kaidoh would have still grabbed the youth's flag, but Ryouma didn't even have to focus, letting the elements in his mind shift as his abilities opened. It felt like he had an extra hand, except this hand had a thousand tiny fingers and could extend and twists as much as he needed it to, and was entirely invisible. With this mental prowess, he grabbed the hand about to take his flag, tugging it back.

For some reason, Kaidoh's wrist was insanely strong, but everything happened in less than a second, and Ryouma had plenty of power to hold the taller man's arm in place while he did a half-twirl, and reached for that green fabric that meant his victory.

But the second hadn't even ended, and Ryouma suddenly had to jump back, as a long, scathing snake appeared between him and his target, its fangs bared as it sprung towards him. 

"Heh... so you're a summoner...." Ryouma was still smirking, but his eyes were serious as he crouched a good few feet from his opponent, and the viper that had suddenly appeared on the court. "Snakes suite you, Kaidoh-sempai."

Kaidoh crouched in response, a strange hissing sound coming from between his pursed lips. Ryouma ignored his glare, instead keeping eye contact with the snake as he circled around.

He waited a few seconds.

Then he leapt, high, higher than would have been humanly possible, unfolding his abilities once again as he pushed his shoes upwards with an invisible mental force. He leapt right at the snake, which coiled and seethed in front of Kaidoh. The reptile struck up, practically leaping out, and it seemed to almost have its fangs upon the young fighter - and then it swung, the snake spiraled back towards its owner. Kaidoh was completely caught off guard, twisting around to avoid being bit, and the snake fell right upon the veteran hunter's flag, knocking it loose.

 _Sorry friend!_ The snake hissed, but Kaidoh understood its language. _He's controlling my body with his telekinesis._

Hissing furiously, Kaidoh managed to close the summon gate and send the snake back to its home, then grab his flag before it finished fluttering to the floor. Ryouma was already in front of him, about ready to kick up and claim the flag for victory -

"-out! TIME OUT ALREADY!!"

Ryouma jumped back, snorting in annoyance at Momo-sempai, who had run towards the center of the gym, flailing his arm and shouting, "How many times do I have to keep saying time out! Finally you two notice!"

A dark aura emitted from the snake like hunter as he glared angrily at the interruption.

"I said no weapons!" Momo shouted, stomping angrily over to his counterpart.

"Wha-..." hissed the hunter, his eyes widening in realization. "My snakes are not weapons! They're my friends-"

"Stupid mamushi, they're still your weapons!" Grabbing Kaidoh's collar, Momo dragged his face so close he was practically spitting on it. "They aren't YOU so you can't use them."

Grinding their teeth, the rivals seethed silently at each other, until the tension was interrupted by a snicker. Ryouma held Kaidoh's ribbon in his fingers, having slipped it easily away from his opponent during the argument. "It's okay, Momo-sempai. I used my telekinesis, so it's only fair Kaidoh-sempai could use his summoning ability." The young hunter looked way too pleased with himself.

Kaidoh hissed but calmed down, knowing it was his loss. He would have lost sooner if it weren't for his snakes, anyway.

"Mamushi... means viper, right?" Ryouma smirked at him, all the anger from the Karupin incident gone and replaced with a smug grin. "That nickname suits you."

Kaidoh's only response was to hiss, then turn and stomp away.

"Don't mind him," said Momo, his anger from before completely gone and replaced with an amused grin. "He's just thinking of others ways to torment your cat."

"I'm not- ARGH! I WOULD NEVER HURT KARUPIN, OKAY?!" Kaidoh turned in the doorway, his face bright red, both with fury and embarrassment at his confession. Then he turned back and practically scurried away.

"Damn right you won't," Ryouma muttered, but he didn't feel too worried about it. Kaidoh used Karupin's name properly, and seemed to know the value of pets, having animal friends of his own. Ryouma decided to let it go, but he'd still keep an eye out for Karupin's sake.

"God, he's always so pissy." Scratching his head, Momo turned back to Ryouma. "I'm starved, how 'bout I show you the cafeteria?"

* * *

Despite the long oak tables, clearly antique from the carvings in the legs and tapestries woven into the matching chairs, Ryouma found the cafeteria a much less intimidating than the rest of the headquarters.

There was something comforting about seeing large groups of random people chowing down on food - everyone liked to eat, after all - and it was especially hard to feel intimidated when the person next to him was chowing down on his second burger, having the whole double patty monstrosity shoved half way into his mouth.

Ryouma himself was happily snacking on his second basket of fries, when the carefree banter of the place suddenly quieted down. 

The click of heels seemed deafening in place of the shouts and laughter that had just filled the large dining hall. 

The tall, broad man that Ryouma'd seen earlier in the day strode towards the food counter. What was his name? Sanada something-? Just the fact that he was a Sanada proved his high position, as if his decorated uniform wasn't enough. Trailing behind him was none of than Ryouma's new boss, Fuji Syuusuke. Fuji looked especially small next to his oversized companion, but he moved with a cool grace that called for a distant respect. 

Sanada exchanged words with one of the cooks, then took a package which he tucked under his arm. Fuji seemed aloof, his eyes slowly sweeping around, and the cafeteria's occupants all quickly turned to stare at their food. They resumed their chatter but in subdued tones, careful not to draw attention.

Except for Momoshiro, who threw up his hand and called out, his mouth still full of burger, "Hey Boss, over here!" 

That seemed to break the ice. The chatter elevated in reasonable force as Fuji slide over towards their table, his lips pulled thin into an almost leering smile. Sanada looked over with a deep, disapproving frown but stayed where he was. 

"I see you're already showing our new member the essentials, Momoshiro-kun," Fuji said lightly, his voice pleasant but his eyes were still that cold, chilling blue. 

Chomping more of his burger, Momo managed to huff, "Course, gotta start wi - ..- the cafete-ria." He could hardly talk right with his mouth full, and Ryouma scooted away to avoid bits of flying lettuce. Swallowing, Momo went right on to sip his cola with a loud burp. Ryouma couldn't help but smirk, amused by how his sempai's lack of manners seemed to offend Fuji and Sanada, who were both staring at him with measurable disgust. "Ya know Boss, you really ought to eat in front of other people sometime. Then the newbies here might stop thinkin' you're a vampire."

Fuji chuckled lightly, turning away. "Not all of us feeling like eating all the time."

"Hmm... " Ryouma leaned back with a provocative smirk. "I guess that's the kind of attitude you get from someone so cold, he killed his own brother."

The whole cafeteria went silent.

Even Sanada froze stiff, and Momo stopped chewing, his burger frozen mid-air in his hand. 

Ryouma was disappointed, though, when Fuji didn't react. If anything, his eyes grew colder, and his smile turned malicious.

"Welcome to the group, Echizen," Fuji said lightly, as he turned and stepped away. "Training you is going to be very, very fun."

Once again, it was Momoshiro who broke the silence after the hall doors closed after Sanada and Fuji's departure.

"Don't mind him. He's just happy 'cause he's no longer the smallest hunter in the organization." Momo immediately went back to devouring what was left of his burger.

Ryouma frowned, annoyed at being called small (but he was still growing, unlike the rest of them, so it wasn't that bad). "... He isn't that small."

Momo licked at his mayonnaise dotted fingers. "Well, no, you know. When he was your age, he was way smaller than you are now. They didn't even let him enter the organization until he was fifteen, two years older than when Sanada Genichirou was allowed to start, because he was too small."

"Is that true?!" Ryouma couldn't help but feel alarmed, thinking of his own small stature.

"No, but it'd be pretty funny if it was," Momo grinned as he finished up his soda. "Seriously, the guy weighs like, nothing. Um, I mean it's true they didn't let him join until a little later. They probably just didn't want to put him in danger, him being the main heir to the Fuji and all."

"Hey, you're an Echizen?" 

Ryouma looked up, not having noticed the newcomer who'd approached him. The guy had bright red, almost orange hair, and was obviously chewing gum. 

"Um..." Ryouma glanced around, realizing it wasn't just the redhead. All the people in the cafeteria were looking at him, with growing interest in their eyes. And, to the new recruit's horror, several were coming over to crowd around the table.

"You look human." An enthusiastic teen with a short buzz cut poked at his arm. "See, still warm. They gonna turn you later right?"

"Hey, you related to Nanjiroh?" said a guy who was clearly young but had white hair.

"Hope you're not as much of a goofball-" said a dark skinned man.

"I hope you are just as much if not more!" exclaimed a cheeky looking guy with platinum blond hair pulled back into a rat tail. "God, it's about time we got a new prankster to replace Nanoji-"

"Don't talk to this man," a bespectacled man interrupted, his voice a serious monotone. "He'll turn you into a criminal."

"Aah, you're the ochibi Oishi told me about!" Another redhead, with a bandage on his cheek, practically jumped around the table, and to Ryouma's dismay, _hugged him_.

"I'm not - get off me, don't call me that!" Ryouma growled.

"Are you ticklish?"

"How old are you? You look like you're ten!"

"Introduce me to Nanako!"

"Argh!" Ryouma shouted, peeved at Fuji for putting him in this situation. There were more questions, and more pokes, and more hugs, and _oh my god somebody was tickling him..._

He was so getting back at Fuji for this.

* * *

Ryouma couldn’t sleep.

He thought he’d be exhausted after barely managing to escape the zoo of madmen who’d crowded all over him at the cafeteria, but after a shower and some sloppy unpacking, he was wide awake. 

He refused, damn it, to admit he was nervous. The bed was just so hard, he wasn’t used to the room yet, and this place was full of so many weirdos that his guard was on full blast. Well, if he just squeezed his eyes shut and lay still in his bed, and started counting backwards from a hundred...

“... - ait, wait, jeez, why are you being such a jerk?!” 

_Goddamnit_ , Ryouma thought, tumbling off the mattress and onto the floor. These guys weren’t just annoying during the day, they had to be noisy in the middle of the night too. He could hear footsteps in the dormitory hallway, some jackass was stomping, but there was a second person too, padding so softly that Ryouma knew only well trained ears like his would hear.

“Seriously, you’re so immature! It was just a stupid prank, and you know it was Niou’s idea.”

Whoever was stomping was also the one with the annoying rant. Deciding he would give this guy a piece of his mind, Ryouma slipped on his pants and shoes. He was still in half his uniform, anyway, since he’d been too lazy to unpack his clothes.

Jerking the door open, he barged into the hallway, and would have smacked straight into one of the offenders if he hadn’t stopped at the last second.

It was the one padding, and Ryouma recognized the dark skinned, bald headed man from the cafeteria. The man didn’t even stop to look at him, even though they had almost collided, and just kept walking, slowly and quietly down the hallway.

“Hmph, now you’ve done it, waking everyone up.”

Ryouma turned to see the noisy culprit, grimacing when he saw it was the redheaded gum chewer from earlier. He’d have to get used to that loud, high pitched whine. The redhead looked pretty angry, standing in the hall in his pajamas and glaring at the bald man, who continued to tacitly ignore him. Ryouma didn’t blame the guy.

“Fine, whatever,” the redhead puffed. “Don’t talk to me, I’m not going to talk to you either.” He gave one glance to Ryouma, then stomped back to his room, which unfortunately Ryouma realized was only two doors away. 

The bald man was walking out of sight, but Ryouma realized he was wide awake now. Moreover, there was something that had caught his eye... it was interesting, being in a U-shaped complex. From here, he realized he could barely see Fuji’s office, through the hallway glass, all the way across the long front lawn, and past the glass of the opposing hallway.

He went back to quickly to his room, and finished putting on his uniform. He’d been told there was a curfew, but since that made no sense for an organization of vampire hunters, he figured if he ran into anyone he’d just have to tell them he was out on official business. 

It was a long walk around to the other wing of the campus, but now Ryouma was curious.

He wondered why the office’s light was on.

* * *

It was strange, how a room so full of light could feel so soiled with darkness.

They hadn’t even given Fuji the chance to flick down the light switch, before pressing against him. Kaidoh was hungry, his body sought to restore the energy he’d lost during the afternoon duel, but still he drank lightly, careful to take no more than he needed. 

Momoshiro, though, seemed fierce with need today. Fuji would have not been able to stand, if Kaidoh weren’t there to support him. They both gripped him so tightly, holding him between them, as if afraid he would escape, though it was silly to imagine he’d even try. 

After all, Fuji wasn’t the captive here, no matter how things seemed.

A trickle of blood slipped down his neck, as Momo sloppily took his fill. All Fuji could do was close his eyes, and try to relax, to try and ignore the sensations rushing through him in waves. He didn’t want to feel anything, not from these two, not as their fangs pierced his neck and they took from his life. They were his subordinates, his underlings - they weren’t even human.

The three of them were too caught up in the feeding to notice the young hunter standing stiffly in the hallway.

* * *

Ryouma watched through the crack in the door, unmoving, unspeaking. He wasn’t even worried about them noticing him, he couldn’t possibly feel nervous, not when he’d gone so numb.

_Do you know the more beautiful a rose is... the deadlier thorns it has..._

The subordinates, feeding on their leader... he couldn’t move, he needed to move, but...

_Forbidden sin... cold... blood... betrayal..._

He saw, just barely, one of Fuji’s eyelids shift slightly, and piercing blue, looking right at him.

He took off, down the dark hallway, as swiftly as tacit steps would take him.

_Human’s place is the more dangerous place to be..._

* * *

_Son..._

Ryouma stared at the window, wondering when the sun would rise. From here, he could see the city, glistening with its skyscrapers full of ignorant humans, those millions of people who knew little about the ones who protected them... the sacrifices those protectors made, and the cruel world they worked in.

 _It doesn’t matter if they’re vampires or humans,_ Ryouma thought. _Everyone’s a liar._

“You should have told me they were vampires,” Ryouma said aloud. But he continued to face the large panes of glass, without turning to acknowledge the one he felt step up behind him.

“So you did see them,” came Oishi’s gentle voice. His calm tone seemed dim in the empty hallway. It would be several hours before this part of the building saw life. “I’m sorry you had to see something like that after your father...passed away.”

His words stirred something in Ryouma, and the young hunter turned slightly to face him. Oishi’s face was serious, and Ryouma thought back to the grief that had swelled in the doctor’s eyes when he brought him the news of Nanjiroh’s death. But no matter how solemn and calm those dark orbs seemed, Ryouma still didn’t want to trust him.

“Echizen,” the doctor continued, “Kaidoh and Momoshiro are the only fledglings of Tezuka as far as we know.”

 _Tezuka... one of the cursed twins, the powerful leaders of the rebel clans_ , thought Ryouma. _So that’s what this is about..._

“Fuji and Sanada captured them one year ago. They are keys if we want to catch Tezuka and his brother.”

 _Around the same time my father died..._ Ryouma spoke out loud, “Why don’t they try to escape?”

Oishi was silent for a moment, clearly evaluating both Ryouma and his options. 

“This... is a very closed secret, even in the organization,” Oishi said in a low voice. “But you are their teammate, so you will find out eventually...

“Fuji Syuusuke... of course, he was born with a special ability, like you and most of the other hunters... but, he doesn’t have to do anything to use it, and it only works on vampires. It’s... it’s a curse, and and it was cast upon Kaidoh and Momoshiro, the moment they took the smallest taste...

“As far as I know, there is only one vampire who has drunk Fuji’s blood and can live without it...

“...The one who calls himself Tezuka Kunimitsu...”

Ryouma’s eyes narrowed, as he tried to understand what he was being told. “The heir to one of the four clans can cast a curse, that only the heir to another of the four can resist.”

“Perhaps,” sighed Oishi. “But that power didn’t pass to those he turned. Kaidoh and Momoshiro won’t go anywhere... 

“They can’t... even if they really want to.”

* * *

“You are an idiot,” Kaidoh snarled. He carried Fuji gently, laying the unconscious hunter on the couch, which had been placed in the office for this very purpose. “You drank too much.”

Momoshiro wiped blood from his mouth, for once offering no response. His eyes were narrow and dark, with what Kaidoh could only hope was regret.

“You are too greedy,” the snake charmer continued, his eyes gleaming with anger, even from the shadows cast upon his face. “What if you killed him?” 

He turned away from the sleeping brunette, who had been their only source of food for the past year. Momoshiro sank down against the desk, crouching on the floor, but his eyes were anything but repentant. Kaidoh couldn’t let it go. 

“What if you can’t hear the master anymore?” He hissed.

The two exchanged hard glares, but they did not erupt into an argument as they would have at any other time. This only made Kaidoh more angry, wondering what his teammate was thinking.

Kaidoh, at least, would not forget where his loyalty lay. 

And he would not let Momoshiro forget, either.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neu's artwork is the basis for many of these scenes. Here are the links for the scenes from this chapter:
> 
> [Hunter Uniforms](http://s73.photobucket.com/user/yoshikochan/media/Fanfiction/HunterUniforms_zpsd430f8b2.jpg.html)
> 
> ["New"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-101new_zps1550d70f.jpg)
> 
> ["Lesson" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-201lesson_zps1ff5a02a.jpg)
> 
> ["Lesson" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-202lesson_zps5bcc4958.jpg)
> 
> ["The Team" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-001theteam_zps43c910c0.jpg)
> 
> ["The Team" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-002theteam_zpsa4e81ac8.jpg)
> 
> ["The Team" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-003theteam_zpsaa7008b3.jpg)
> 
> ["The Team" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-004theteam_zps99f8542e.jpg)
> 
> ["The Team" Page 5](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/01-005theteam_zps65f5945d.jpg)


	2. Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuji and his team of hunters are assigned to case after case. Their mission: To enforce the rules, no matter the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot some pictures for the previous chapter! So if you read it during the first week it was posted, go back and you'll see more links. :)

It pissed him off.

_Vampires have rules_ , Ryouma thought. _It’s what makes us better than the rebels._

_I may still be human, but I know that Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru are breaking those rules. And Fuji’s letting them,_ was his final thought.

He marched into Fuji’s office, completely ignoring the glares from his two older group mates as he slammed open the doors. He was just as mad at them, too.

Standing behind his desk, Fuji smiled calmly and lifted one eyebrow in question, before setting the papers in his hands down on his desk. "I see you're quite excited for your first group assignment," the honey haired brunette mused.

"Fuji Syuusuke," Ryouma growled, and drew up his arm, pointing his finger straight at the smiling officer's face. "I challenge you to a dual!"

Momoshiro's jaw dropped, and Kaidoh let out something between a cough and a snort.

Fuji looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh. "Well... I suppose it would be proper etiquette for me to determine my new member's capabilities before we go out on our first task, wouldn't it?"

"If I win, you're telling me everything I want to know." Ryouma was not happy. He had a feeling Fuji was a lot more involved in everything he'd come to investigate, and he also felt that he had a much better chance at getting answers from the brunette, then trying to chase down the other higher ups. He'd tried that avenue before joining, and simply been ignored. But Fuji couldn't ignore him, and he couldn't ignore his challenge - after all, they were now stuck together.

"And what kind of dual would you like to have?" Fuji smiled, far too condescendingly, as his long fingers ran along the polished wood of his desk. "I have a chess board, and an almost antique set of cards with lovely illustrations -"

"A serious fight," Ryouma growled, refusing to be treated like a child. "In the gym. First blood, that kind of fight. One type of weapon, best of three, you chose the type - I want to beat you at what you're best at. "

Now Momo was outright laughing, doubling over and slapping his knee. Even Kaidoh had his head down, and his shoulders were shaking a little - _and he has no right to think it's funny after he lost to me._

"Look, kid," Momo snorted out between chuckles, "I know you're strong - you showed us all that yesterday. But if you think you can match up with Fuji -"

"It's fine," Fuji calmly interjected, his voice soft and silky. "I'm just a normal human, after all. No super strength, no summoning, no telekinesis - It ought to be a nice match up, don't you think?"

Snorting, Ryouma pressed together his lips, determined to make his commander regret humoring him.

Neither padded up - they both were fine staying in their uniforms, and Fuji's small, friendly smile was contrasted starkly by Ryouma's cocky grin. He knew he was being underestimated - but he'd show them. 

He'd decided, like in his last match with Kaidoh, not to use his telekinesis unless he noticed Fuji using some special power too. He found it hard to believe that without any special ability, Fuji was on par with the vampires they went out to hunt. The honey haired brunette had to have some sort of trick up his sleeve - you couldn't even get into this place without having _something_ on your resume. It was why Ryouma'd been adopted into the Echizen family, after all.

For whatever god given reason, Fuji had chosen fencing - it was obviously not something they'd ever use while hunting, and Ryouma wasn't sure he even believed that the smiling fox he had for a commander actually specialized in such a sport. 

But of course it didn't matter. Even if it wasn't all that useful, it was ancient etiquette that house heirs be taught fencing along with all other forms of fighting, and neither Fuji Syuusuke nor Echizen Ryouma were exceptions.

They raised their blades - a foil for Fuji and a saber for Ryouma - properly in front of their faces. It felt like a good solid moment of quiet as they stared each other down - well, Ryouma did, anyway; it was hard to tell where Fuji was looking at all, his eyes were so crinkled upwards they didn't even seem open.

"Okay, um.... anything goes as long as its in the rules of fencing," Momoshiro mumbled, standing off to the side. He had not been too happy about the whole thing, complaining the whole way that they should just go off on their mission and deal with 'stupid cocky bratts' later. "Hunters' rules, that is. Oh, and Fuji says telekinesis is okay."

Snorting, Ryouma couldn't remember Fuji saying anything like that, but it didn't matter. He was sticking to what he'd declared - if Fuji claimed his strength was in fencing, then that's what Ryouma would beat him at. And then he'd go and beat him at everything else.

"So yeah... good luck... kid. Three... two... one... start!"

Both swung down their blades, formally to their sides, and stepped forward towards each other. This was not the kind of battle that could be fought rushing - both eyed each other carefully, waiting to read the others' move.

Ryouma was beginning to see why Fuji claimed this was his forte. The brunette was small - not much taller than Ryouma, though he had to be full grown - and what fencing required was speed and agility less than strength. Not only that - in a sport that required waiting for your opponent to make an opening, reading your opponent was everything. Fuji's expression never changed, he never even flinched - not the barest indication that he was considering an attack.

Scowling, Ryouma realized they were circling each other. This could go on forever, he realized, if his blue eyed superior wanted it to - obviously, as the challenger, he would have to make the first move.

Ryouma thrust - a feint, he pulled his arm back immediately, expecting that Fuji had been anticipating an attack and would try to make a return thrust of his own. Ryouma had planned to catch Fuji off balance in that moment, let his arm extend just enough that Ryouma could slide his saber through a take a cut on the jacket over his torso - but to his surprise, Fuji merely stayed where he was, stepping back just slightly to avoid the weak, half extended feint. 

Ryouma tried again, giving a few more experimental thrusts, knowing he'd need to bait his overly patient opponent if he wanted to move towards victory.

If Fuji wasn't going to attack, Ryouma decided, he'd have to make a serious attack of his own. But that had to, of course, be what the fox faced lieutenant was waiting for - but what Fuji wouldn't be expecting was a little trick that Ryouma kept up his sleeve.

The olive haired pre-teen suddenly dashed forward, not a typical, straight forward motion, but he took a half step, back, then forth, to one side then the other, all in less than a second, thrusting out towards Fuji's thigh in one smooth, swift motion. 

Fuji didn't stand a chance, Ryouma was already within the length of his arm, but then, right as the young hunter was about to slice into the suave fabric, Fuji's blade seemed to sweep out of nowhere, dipping down in a half arc and knocking Ryouma off course. 

It was too late, the young fighter realized, Fuji's foil was sliding up, almost to his hand, and the first blood would have been right on his knuckle - but Ryouma refused to lose. He grabbed the blade, not with his hand but with his mind, shoving it aside just a little just enough to let him slide under Fuji's arm and escape.

But instead of being shoved outward, as he imagined, the blade twisted out of Fuji's hand and struck at random. It took Ryouma a stunned moment to realize what had happened - and that his forehead was bleeding.

"Echizen!"

"Bratt!"

"Oi!"

Ryouma growled away his three teammates as they all converged on him, forcing him to sit down as Momoshiro poked at his forehead.

"It's just a little cut," Ryouma scowled, pushing the offending fingers away.

"Well, your personality's in tact, so I guess it's all good," Momoshiro grinned, dabbing away the blood with a handkerchief, and then pulling out a bandaid. Ryouma had been pretty annoyed that they'd had a first aid kit on hand, but he guessed that this was why.

"What the hell did you do," Ryouma charged, glaring at Fuji, who smiled cheerfully back. The brunette tilted his head, as if he hadn't a clue.

"Oh... that?" Fuji shrugged. "I didn't do anything. I really am just a normal human - well, from your standpoint - but sometimes certain powers don't work quite right on me. Mmm... probably, whatever direction you were trying to make my foil go, it twisted and went a different direction instead. Interesting... we'll have to remember that and be careful not to get too close during battles."

"... It's not something you consciously did?" Ryouma said, feeling suspicious. That did sound about right - the blade hadn't gone in the opposite direction completely, but it felt like when he'd first tried to use his power, and hadn't had enough control, and ended up making a mess with the paint his father had made him practice on. It still made him mad, his dad standing there laughing at his paint drenched son - the yellow wouldn't come out of his hair at all, until it had grown out enough to cut it off.

Fuji shook his head. "It's just an effect from a long line of... well, you know how the Fuji family lineage works. I don't even know which relative I inherited that little gift from. But," he shrugged, "after a while, it probably won't matter anymore. You’re power will work on me when you need it to." He retrieved his blade, backing up a few steps before swinging it upright into the classic start position. "So... best two out of three, was it?"

"No," Ryouma scowled. "I lost, fair and square. If you really don't have any powers, then I lost to you in pure fencing, so that's that." He had to admit - the one thing he had not expected was the incredible agility his lieutenant had shown, being able to twist around and move his blade down in such a swift manner. 

"But, Echizen... mm, Ryouma-kun," Fuji smiled, "If you have any questions, you can always ask. I am your supervisor, after all."

"Che," Ryouma pushed himself off the ground, hunching and sticking his hands in his pockets. "I'll ask whatever I want - but I'm expecting you to answer."

Fuji just smiled, leaving the pre-teen to scowl on his own.

* * *

The hunt was about as simple as could be, Ryouma decided. He suspected it was because Fuji's group had a new member. All they had to do was follow up on some rebel vamps that had been traced to a camp out in the nearby national park. Some other team had done the research, and this was more or less their left overs.

Fuji did use a blade, a thin one, not too different from his foil, that he kept belted to his hip. Momo and Kaido had blades of their own, too - all of them were inscribed, enchanted metal that would cut into a vampire as if it were no more than a human. This kind of warfare had been perfected centuries before any of them were born. 

Ryouma had a sword too, that had belonged to his father, Nanjiro. He also kept a hidden dagger, and he suspected his teammates had other tricks up their sleeves too.

It really was simple. They more or less walked up to the camp, not even bothering to disguise themselves. The camp's watchman spotted them immediately, but Fuji made things simple - he threw a knife, tucked into his sleeve, and the watchman fell from his lofty post a few branches up from the ground. Kaidoh finished him off as they walked by, not even bothering to make eye contact with each other. It was enough of a warning for the campers, still, but Ryouma was impressed that they didn't try to run.

"They've lost their transit," Momo murmured to him. "The other team separated them from their supplies. They know the best chance they have is to defeat us, and take our vehicles."

It was a stupid gamble, Ryouma mused. Stupider, he realized, when they actually fought. These rebels were weak - untrained, newly turned, and he wondered how stupid they must have been to not just follow the rules and avoid being hunted in the first place.

He took him awhile to realize, that Fuji was mostly watching him and their two vampiric companions do all the work. This was merely a part of his evaluation of his newest underling, Ryouma realized. But with the bloodshed before him, at least Fuji didn't have the nerve to smile. If anything, he looked a little lost, as if he sensed something - his eyes kept flashing around - but couldn't figure out what it was.

* * *

This was fun, Fuji decided. It was fun to have someone new on his team - young and talented and pure, and cute, too - someone who wasn't related to Tezuka, someone who didn't know anything, not really, about him.

He could tell his team had everything under control - this was just Genichirou's leftovers, after all, that he'd asked his superior to leave for them so that he could test the synergy of his new team. But something was bothering him... he could feel it, on the back of his neck, that _feeling_ again, the one that meant...

"Caught you, hunter!" He made a mistake being distracted. He'd been so busy trying to focus on finding whatever it was throwing him off, that he hadn't noticed the dirty haired vampire sneaking up behind him, who was now crushing his throat with one hand and gripping his wrist tightly in the other. 

The vampire leered down at him, its foul, blood stenched breath blowing into his face. He could tell this group had been feasting, killing, taking everything from their human prey, earning themselves nothing but a death sentence. He glared at it, knowing he hadn't lost yet, and the vampire's eyes shot open as it cried, "A Fuji? You're one of the Fuji's?"

His eyes always gave him away. No other Japanese family had naturally blue eyes.

"Hehehe," the vampire cackled, grinning wide as its incisors elongated, along with the black, curling claws its fingers transformed into. "Lucky... Lucky me!"

Fuji was tired of this game. He didn't even wince as the vampire slashed at his face, one of its claws barely slicing into his cheek, as he twisted his shoulder and swiftly brought up his sword. The blade pierced straight through the foolish vampire's chest, sending blood spraying out into the air. Fuji's lips pressed thinly together, his smile gone, his eyes slanted open, and the only difficulty he felt was the faint resistance from his own lack of strength as he pushed his sword further in.

"Lucky indeed..." Fuji murmured, looking at the bodies of the vampires scattered around the campsite. These vampires were all young, he could tell, most likely turned within the year, and already they had fallen to blood lust. All because of the rebels' teachings, these young beings had to die...

* * *

"Damn.. you..." The vampire muttered, its own blood dripping from its mouth to join the blood from its fatal wound pooling on the floor. Fuji didn't seem to notice, keeping his back turned, unmoving even as the vampire sprung up with one last spurt of vigor, screaming, "The cursed clan!"

Its fingers extended, zeroing in on their target, nearly to the back of his head...

Only for another claw, larger and more powerful, to peirce down on the vampire from behind, tearing clear through its heart. At the same instant, a blade slashed down on its neck, cleanly severing its head.

Fuji didn’t even blink.

“Back off, idiot,” Momo gurgled, as Kaido withdrew his elongated fingers from the enemy’s chest.

“The one’s mine,” the snake charmer hissed, cleaning off the blood with his glove.

Stomping his foot on the headless body, Momo spat, “What are you, stupid?! I’m the one who chopped off his head!”

“Hissss, I’m the one who killed him! I stabbed him first!”

“You stupid viper! You were totally slow!”

“You’re the blind moron who cut the head off an already dead vamp!”

With nothing left to fight, Ryouma decided to ignore his two bickering sempai, whose insults were only getting more and more brainless with each exchange. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he went to stand by the lieutenant, who was back to his cheerful, close eyed smiling self.

“My, aren’t they lovely?” Fuji’s tone was far too amused, considering they were standing in a field of bodies.

Ryouma really had nothing to say, now that he’d realized at least half his team was made of idiots.

* * *

Fuji really did love his team. They always managed to entertain him, which was the most important thing, of course.

He loved them even more when he noticed his newest teammate, holding out a skin colored bandage.

“Mada mada dane, sempai,” Ryouma chided, keeping his eyes looking towards Momo and Kaido, as if he were being nonchalant. Fuji thought it was adorable.

_A bandaid? Really..._ Fuji chuckled into his hand, after taking the tiny piece of first aid. “Thanks -”

“Echizen! It’s ‘boss,’, not ‘sempai’!” Kaidoh growled, even as he and Momo started pulling at each other’s shirts and hair.

“Wha- what?!” Momo yelled, looking like anything Kaidoh said would make him angry, even if it wasn’t directed at him.

“Whatever,” Ryouma stuck his hands back in his pockets. “Can we go back now? It’s Karupin’s dinner time.”

Caught between laughing and sighing, Fuji slipping off a glove to put the band aid on. _Maybe this new assignment is a good idea after all...._ He thought. _Gen-chan..._ He wondered what the commander who had forced this on him was up to now.

He’d completely forgotten about the feeling that had previously disturbed him. 

Hidden further in the woods, a man with shaggy, hazel colored hair continued to watch the light haired lieutenant, a solemn expression on his bespectacled face.

* * *

So that was it, Ryouma guessed, the effect of the special power that had gotten Fuji to move up the chain. It might have seemed pathetic compared to telekinesis or summoning... but having loyal subordinates, who absolutely wouldn't, couldn't let you die, because they needed you - _as food_ , he reminded himself. _They can only drink from Fuji, so they have to protect him._

_A curse of blood..._

Momoshiro and Kaido had fought so hard to protect Fuji, it was almost creepy. And Fuji had known... the damn brunette had completely let his guard down, so unconcerned with the battle at hand. No matter how weak the enemies, vampires were still dangerous and inhumanly powerful.

And it wasn't that Fuji _trusted_ them. Ryouma didn't get the feeling that Fuji trusted many people, actually. No... Fuji knew he had those two on a leash. All he had to do was, a couple times a week, let them attack his neck and suck out half his life force.

It wasn't a power Ryouma would trade for.

He took another chomp out of his burger, looking down on the rose garden three stories below. This was a good spot, he decided, that Momo had taken him to - up on the roof, where he wouldn't get molested by those crazies in the cafeteria. And getting treated to burgers by his sempai was something he could definitely get used to.

He'd confessed to Momo what he had seen the other night. He felt better, having fought with the two vampires as a team - that wasn't to say he trusted them, but he found he liked Momo enough and he didn't want this held over their heads. 

To his surprise, his spiky haired sempai had seemed rather embarrassed, mumbling something about being seen at his worst. He bought Ryouma lunch as an apology, and promised to tell Ryouma whatever he wanted to know.

Seeing his boisterous sempai chomp down on burgers made him think of his conversation with Oishi, that night in the hallway. 

_"I'm truly am sorry, Echizen. As you said... I should have at least told you your teammates were vampires." Oishi sighed. "They probably assumed you would realize it on your own."_

_Ryouma's grimace deepend. "But Momo-sempai eats... not just to taste, like vampires, he really..."_

_The doctor shook his head. "Momoshiro likes eating. It’s like a pastime for him. He... please understand. Momoshiro’s human family was large, and he had to give up a lot for his many younger siblings. Because of his size, until Tezuka took him in, he was almost starving..."_

_"Hey, I'm an Echizen, I get it okay? I just..." Ryouma murmured, "I know the rules. I don't know what the hell they think they're doing. And if it has something to do with my father..."_

_Oishi only sighed, not giving any reply._

Thinking about it, Ryouma knew he should find out a lot more about his teammates, whether or not they were connected to what had happened to Nanjiroh. He thought about his fight with Kaidoh, and what he'd seen during the battle.

"Hey, sempai..."

"Mph-yeah?" Momo certainly lacked any of the prideful dignity vampires were famed for, with ketchup dribbling down his chin.

Ryouma decided to think carefully about what he was going to say. "So... Tezuka picked Kaidoh, because of his ability to turn snakes. What’s your special ability, Momo-sempai?"

Shrugging, the spiky haired vampire mumbled around his burger, "Um, nothing too useful."

Ryouma glared at him in tacit response.

Sighing, Momo put down his burger and wiped off his chin. "I can see auras. Like... it’s a form of empathy. I can read people’s feelings... um, I usually describe it as like a cloud that surrounds each person, and changes colors. Like a mood ring." He looked awfully amused by this description, as it it were some kind of inside joke. 

Ryouma jammed some fries into his mouth, staring at his teammate. He did get it, really - auras didn't really look like clouds, Momo was saying, but his power was unexplainable to anyone who didn't have it. No one could truly understand but Momo himself.

Ryouma's own power was like that.

"It doesn’t help so much in battle," Momo continued. "So I really rely on my strength as a vampire. Kaidoh does too - that idiot doesn’t use his snakes to fight, because he’s afraid they’ll get hurt. They’re useful though, I’ll give him that, for reconnaissance and things. He can send them around and no one really notices them, then he talks to them with that hissing thing he does. You know, the lame sounding shushing noise he makes when he pouts -" Pushing out his lips, Momo performed a very good imitation of what Ryouma had labelled Kaidoh's kissy face.

They both burst out laughing, then shoveled down more fries. Ryouma really did feel better talking to his sempai... he could tell Momo was a good guy. But...

"What about Tezuka?"

"Um... what about him?" Momo dipped one of his last fries in his ketchup, and just sort of let it soak there.

"Oishi told me he’s the one who turned you." Ryouma had mentioned it before, but he could tell Momo was trying to avoid it. After all, who would want to be associated with one of the organization's greatest enemies?

Shifting uncomfortably, the purple eyed vampire scratched at the back of his head as if trying to think. "There’s not really much to say," he muttered. "I mean, we work for Fuji now."

Glaring, Ryouma refused to let it go. "I know it doesn’t work like that. Tezuka turned you... you’re like his children. Vampires are always loyal to the ones who turned them."

"Not _always_...." Momo turned his eyes away, looking out into the garden. "I mean, yeah we were but... Oishi told you about Fuji’s blood, didn’t he? Otherwise he wouldn’t have told you who our ma... former master was."

Nodding was all the confirmation Ryouma had to give.

"Look, Ryouma," Momo sighed, "This thing about Fuji is a serious secret. Only a few people other than the elders know about it. Oishi had to tell you, cause you’re joining our group, so you’d notice soon anyway. But that... Fuji’s blood is... it’s special. To me and Kaidoh. Fuji’s important to us. We have his back no matter what, okay? And you’re in the group now, so we have your back too, okay?"

He rustled Ryouma's hair with his big grubby fingers, making the preteen growl and push the sticky things away.

"You're all ketchupy," Ryouma scowled. He hated being treated like a kid, but he decided he could trust Momo. There was obviously far more to the story, but he could also tell his sempai was being as honest as he was allowed, and that was all the young hunter knew he could ask for.

Down by the garden, some hunters were having an intense conversation. Ryouma couldn't help but feel that headquarters had gotten more and more lively lately... in a tense sort of way.

"Hey, it's that redhead again," Ryouma said as he finished off his fries. Sure enough, that annoying bubble gum blower was one of the guys on the garden path.

"You know Marui?" Momo sounded a little surprised. After all, Ryouma didn't like socializing - he hadn't talked to anyone outside of his team except Oishi, so far.

"Errr..." Ryouma shrugged. "His dorm room’s near mine." 

It looked like the redhead - Marui was it? - was bickering with two other, much taller hunters - one had glasses, and didn't seem to know what the word smile meant; the other had platinum blond hair, bundled up into a little rat tail that ran down the back of his neck. Momo and Ryouma watched them for a bit, both having polished off their meals, before stacking their trays and bundling up the trash.

"Hey..." Momo started, as they made their way back to the cafeteria to return the trays. "If you see him, give him a break, okay? Poor guy's had some real crap happen with him lately.” 

"Who was he talking to?" Ryouma asked. None of them had looked very happy.

"Oh, those guys? They're on Sanada's team. They’ve got this new big assignment, and they’re going around questioning people like they’re big shots." Momo pulled open the door to the cafeteria, letting his new teammate go through first. "It doesn’t have anything to do with us though - we got our own case, ya know.”

" _There_ you guys are," a rough, familiar voice growled from inside the cafeteria. Kaidoh was practically red in the face, his lips in their usual putter, as he hissed at his two teammates. 

"Fuji sent me to look for you. His office. Now." He turn away from them and headed down the hall, mumbling what sounded like, "I knew I'd find them if I went to the cafeteria... that stupid fatty is always stuffing his face..."

Quirking his eyebrow, Ryouma looked up at his sempai. "Are we in trouble?"

"Nah, it's probably just something about the case. Kaido's just being a tight ass," Momo grinned, setting down their trays in the take away bins. 

It was Ryouma's first real case, he supposed, thinking about it as they headed towards Fuji's office. They'd been handed a murder case - of a vampire, that was - all cases involving vampires, whether killing or killed, were handled by the organization, and this one was of interest because said vampire had once been one of their members.

Chinen Hiroshi, the file had read. He hadn't quit, exactly, but he hadn't had an assignment for at least two years. He'd been found dead outside his condo, obviously slain, and it looked like by another vampire.

_"He worked for us as spy, but really he was an assassin," Fuji explained, reading out his file. "The elders are worried that he was killed for something relating to the organization, perhaps some information he might have had."_

_"But he wasn't on assignment at the time?" Ryouma asked. There was something in particular about the murder that bothered him. The way Chinen's body had been, with one of his arms sliced into, all the way down to the bone, even though he'd died from decapitation..._

_"Mmm, it appears not," Fuji said slowly, placing down the file. "The elders should know more. I'll will find out why... there are a few other things I plan to investigate, as well..."_

_Fuji must have found something out,_ Ryouma thought with a frown. He wondered what it could be, that the brunette would want them to meet with him so urgently.

The light haired lieutenant was leaning on his desk, looking through some papers when they entered. He smiled at them, not nearly as frazzled as Ryouma thought he might be - well, Fuji looked as calm, and, behind that fake smile, cold as he always did.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your lunch," the brunette said, almost sweetly, "But some new information has come up, and we need to head out as soon as we can."

"Whadya find?" Momo asked, glancing at Kaido. The other vampire snorted and tilted his head, meaning he didn't know anything more than they did.

Still smiling, Fuji handed out some papers. "Two other murders - Tanishi Kei and Hirakoba Rin. They were assigned to another group, because no one realized they were connected to ours."

"What did you notice they have in common?" Ryouma looked up from the paper, with the faces of two tan faced vampires smiling toothily in their profile shots. Tanishi looked big, in multiple directions, and his photo featured smile looked more like a leer. Hirakoba was completely opposite, his handsomely smiling visage framed by his long, sun bleached hair.

"Hmmm," Fuji smiled, slightly impressed that Ryouma knew just the right questions to ask. "All three of them were a part of the same group... clan, really, of vampires. They were all in the Higa clan, the offspring of Kite Eishirou..." His voice trailed off, and for a second, Ryouma thought he saw the lieutenant's smile drop.

But then Fuji's cheerful upturned lips were back in a flash. "The Higa clan is poorly known to the other members of the organization. We rarely saw them... you see, they served as spies. All together, the whole clan... to avoid being found out by the enemy, only Kite ever came to headquarters, and always in secret.

"But... some years ago, Kite... made a mistake, and they were found out. They couldn't spy on the rebels for us anymore..." Fuji shrugged, fingering a lock of his hair. "That's why they haven't had any assignments. As for their murders...well, there are two members of Higa left."

"So we're going to go find them," said Ryouma, a smirk growing on his face, "And protect them - or arrest them."

Fuji's smile widened, "You pick things up quickly, Ryouma-kun."

"Che... drop the 'kun' if you know I can keep up." Ryouma ducked his face behind the bill of his cap, turning towards the office door to hide his embarrassment.

Chuckling slightly, Fuji gathered up his things and motioned for them to head out. "Alright then. I'm counting on you... Ryouma."

* * *

They were dropped off in front of a high rise, its revolving glass doors and tall potted plants impressing on moderate wealth. 

"Heh... this Kai Yuujirou guy isn't doing too bad," Ryouma whistled, eyeing the many glass stories that stretched up amongst its equally tall neighbors.

"The organization takes care of you," Momoshiro shrugged. "Higa may have pretended to side with the rebel vampires, but they always followed the rules, about feeding and stuff. And I think they were doing some work on the side. We're going to their leader, Kite Eishirou, next - he lives out in the countryside."

Fuji said a few words to the driver, who drove off to make circles elsewhere. In their uniforms, they must have looked impressively like official law enforcement, their only give away being the pre-teen tagging along with them.

They slipped through the revolving doors. No one was in the well furnished lobby - not even a concierge behind what was obviously a concierge desk. Fuji walked over to the elevators, while the other three looked around.

"We need a keycard to get up," he said, fingering the card reader by the call buttons, which refused to light up.

"Hey, boss," Momo called. He was pushing open a door off to the side, that was labelled BASEMENT. "There are some people down here... "

"Let's ask them to let us up, shall we?" Fuji put on a charming smile, and Ryouma had the feeling the effeminate hunter was not typically denied his requests.

"I don't think we'll need to," Momo said darkly, unsheathing his short blade. "The auras down there are pretty messed up."

In an instant, Fuji's smile was gone, replaced by a serious, cold glare. Kaidoh also looked a little tense, and Ryouma realized that however Momo's power worked, it was something his teammates took pretty seriously.

There were barely a dozen steps leading down into the parking basement. Even before they reached the short stairway end, Ryouma could hear the echoes of shouting, and what sounded very much like some sort of sword fight.

Fuji paused against the wall, holding his finger to his lips to show he wanted to assess the situation before they made their presence known. Momo stayed in front of him, one arm barring the lithe brunette from moving out before him, then made a motion - and then a blood curdling scream caused the four of them to simultaneously dash out onto the open floor.

Blood splattered over a car and one of the columns, as the body of what was obviously Kai Yuujirou slumped to the floor. His long, shaggy brown hair, and well tanned skin was unmistakably the same as in the profile photo, even with the ghastly, shocked expression twisting his face, and the huge gash cut through his chest.

Over him, a tall, bespectacled man with carefully gelled back hair smirked, the blade in his hand dripping with blood. He turned towards them, slowly, as if barely acknowledging their presence, before turning back to the dead vampire at his feet, and slicing his blade down the corpse's right arm.

_All of the victims' right arms were mutilated,_ Ryouma thought in wide eyed alarm.  
"Kite!" Fuji cried, breaking the silence they'd all been stunned into.

Despite being called, the bespectacled man laughed, a crazy, jerky sort of laugh, staring at the bloody corpse. He smeared the blood from his sword on his arm, cutting himself as he did, as if trying to make the two bloods mix.

"... Why... Kite..." The look of horror on the lieutenant's face, the way his eyes and lips were trembling, made Ryouma realize his leader was perhaps not so cold after all. 

What bothered the young hunter, though, was that Fuji clearly recognized their blood covered murderer, not from the photos, but it sounded like he'd known him before.

And from the way Kite, who had finally turned towards them, was looking at Fuji, it was clear he recognized the cerulean eyed hunter, too.

"Heh...heheh...heheheheheheh..." Kite slapped his forehead, his smirk turning into a full out, toothy grin. "Fuji Syuusuke... how ironic... the one they sent to hunt me is you."

He slinked a few uneven steps towards them, causing Momo and Kaido to both move in front of Fuji with their teeth bared. But the lieutenant motioned them aside, stepping forward with his sword gripped tightly in his hand. At least, Ryouma acknowledged, his leader was not a coward.

"This....Kite..." Fuji's voice trembled with anger. "... You were the one who killed them... everyone of your own clan...."

Kite gurgled out something between a snort and a laugh, the glare off his glasses hiding his eyes. His head dropped forward, as if he didn't even care to hold it up. "Heh... of course. Higa is _my_ clan - _my_ responsibility. So of course, it had to be me."

"But why -"

"Don't you see?!" His laugh turned into a scream, his hand gripped at his own hair and yanked at it in a sudden, angry despair. "We haven't had any assignments in years. It won't be long now before we lose everything we have left. Hehehehe... a lot of it's your fault, too."

Momo and Kaido both tensed, but Fuji raised both of his arms to keep them back. "Kite..." His vivid blue eyes were cold again, his frown tight as he watched the murder slink closer.

"After that failure with you, the elders no longer care about us." It was hard to tell, with Kite's hand covering half his face, whether he was laughing or crying. "We tried to run to the other side, to truly take a place amongst the rebels.... but we were found out. The double agents, loyal to none... and of course, we received no loyalty in return! No thanks for our service, our sacrifice. Thrown out, nowhere to go...."

"But you had your clan," Fuji charged, his voice low enough to freeze glaciers. "You had each other! They were your team, the only ones you were always loyal to. How could you kill them?"

"For love!" Kite shouted, and his throat burst with maniacal laughter. "For her!" He was half bend backwards with his laughter, which madly echoed around the blood stained garage. "This is our punishment for betraying them. And I'm carrying it out with my own two hands." His throat grew course, but his next words were spoken in a soft, almost gently tone. "She'll be so happy..." For a moment, he looked lovestruck, the way his lips twisted into a loopy grin, his lids dropping just slightly, and then he burst out laughing again. It was a horrible, mad laugh that made Ryouma want to cover his ears.

"The one that they trusted," the madman waved over towards where Kai lay bloodily slumped. "Betrayed them. A traitor to all in the end!

All four of them stayed frozen, stunned by the display of unbelievable madness.

"Go on, I know how this will end," he laughed. "Put me out of my misery. It's what she wants, too!"

Fuji seemed the most horrified of them all, his sword grip loosened, his eyes filled with disbelief and pity. "Kite..."

"Oh, nevermind, you're taking too long." Kite shuddered out the last of his laughter, as the claws on his free hand started to grow. "I'll just kill you and I'm sure that'll make her happy as well." 

He now loomed over Fuji, his claws and sword crossed, and Fuji just stared up at him in horror, as if he didn't know what to do.

In an instant, Momo and Kaidoh both struck him at the same time, four sets of claws fully extended, tearing the wide eyed madman to shreds.

* * *

Fuji was back to his calm, commanding self by the time the clean up team arrived. He wavered between a cold, distant expression when discussing how to handle the dead bodies, and giving his usual smile and friendly persona when addressing anything else. 

They found the concierge unconscious behind one of the cars - it seemed he'd followed Kite, who refused to address him when he entered the building, down into the parking garage, and gotten clobbered on the head without seeing anything. Kaido brought the sorry man back up to the lobby, and Fuji said a few friendly words to him when he woke up, and slipped him a couple hundred dollar bills. The man told his story, then left to disappear for the next few hours of his shift, without going back to check on the garage.

It wasn't until they on their way back, well away from the crime scene, from the splattered blood, from Kai's corpse, with it's shocked, wide eyes that couldn't understand how the one he'd trusted was here to kill him; from Kite's, whose lips still twisted into that crazed grin. There was something in his eyes, though, that Ryouma thought were tears of relief.

He closed his eyes and ran the last few hours again through his head. Momo and Kaidoh... the desperate way they had slashed into Kite - they only thought about protected Fuji. There was still so much mystery surrounding the case... Kite's intentions, what could have driven him to such a horrible resolution... who _she_ was, the woman he kept referring to.. and...

"The right arms...." Ryouma murmured, breaking the quiet in the large utility vehicle. Momo looked up, meeting his eyes with concern, and Kaidoh also looked interested, his lips pursing out slightly.

"My father," Ryouma continued, "after he was... murdered, all they returned to me was his right arm. The rest of him was... cremated. His ... his body was so mutilated..." he choked, thinking of the pictures he'd seen, that Oishi had shared with him after much persuading that he was old enough. "But his arm... it was cut off, cleanly, before ... the rest of him was messed up."

"Maybe..." Momo said tentatively, not wanting to distress his teammate any further. "They wanted to disable him?"

Ryouma shook his head. "He was left handed. Well, he could fight with either hand, but... he was like me. He had telekinesis." He chuckled, a little bits of fond memories flashed back to him. "You know... how I was adopted. I mean, since vampires can't have their own children, and that's how they continue their line. But Nanjiro and I come from the same family, so we look the same, and have the same power, and strangers always knew he was my dad..."

"Do you think," Kaido hissed, "this guy Kite -"

"No," Ryouma said firmly. "My dad was way stronger than that freak. He wouldn't have lost to him. And... we already know who killed him... just not why...." Already Ryouma could feel it, his eyes turning red, his blood boiling... he never felt sad when he thought about his father's death, just _angry_.

Sighing, Momo said, "Hey Viper, you don't socialize enough, so you miss a lot of things. Elder Echizen was killed by his own teammates. The three vampires that worked for him for years... they all just... turned on him, or something. All we know for sure is that he died from blood loss.... they _drank_ from him, all three of them at once, until he died."

Ryouma stayed silent, his lips pressed firmly together. This was a story he knew all too well... how one of Nanjiro's teammates had come back, confessed to everything, before killed himself with his own claws. How the organization had tested the blood from the rest of the team - who were all found dead - and found Nanjiro's blood indeed running through their veins. They had died rather peacefully, a quick decapitation - but Nanjiro's body, whether before or after he was drained dry... it had been cut, stepped on, mutilated...

All except his right arm.

That ended the conversation for the rest of the trip. Fuji simply sat there with his usual little smile, his eyes hidden behind his lashes, without saying a word the entire time.

* * *

"This is the third victim," Yagyuu reported with a solemn face, calm despite facing the half decayed body of his now deceased friend. There was no need to check the identity of the body - With his dark skin and bald head, Kuwahara Jackal was unmistakable.

Sanada didn't know how he could stay so calm. He himself had both fists clenched, his teeth barred as he bent down over the pupil he had still been training.

"At least we found him," said Niou, serious for once as he placed his hand on the commander's shoulder.

"Damn it!" Akaya slammed his fist into the ally's brick wall. "Why Jackal?! He never did 'nothin wrong to nobody."

It had gotten personal, they all knew, now that their friend was on the dead list. This was already a high level case, having been assigned to Sanada and his team, and with all three victims being fellow hunters, it was already extremely serious as they worked to avenge their own. But now... this...

Akaya was right, they all knew. When it came to good behavior, Jackal was the best of them. He didn't make enemies, even of the vampires he'd help hunt.

"It's the same story as the other two," Yagyuu continued, keeping control by focusing on his work. "Maru- ... Jackal's roommate saw him walk out into the hallway in the middle of the night, and Jackal didn't respond to anything he said. He just kept walking. There are other witnesses too, and from our cameras we can see him leaving without speaking to anyone. He just walks in a straight line, without taking anything with him, and here we find him, over four miles from the front gate, dead - and drained of all blood."

Sanada took hold of Jackal's left hand, black eyes narrowing as he verified the two small pin prick marks embedded in the deceased hunter's wrist. He also spied the identical marks on Jackal's neck, deeper and more messy, as if whoever had been feeding from there was desperate in his effort to suck his victim dry. It was the same, of course, as the other two victims... death from blood loss, drained by two different vampires, one at the neck and the other, neatly, from the wrist - no signs of a fight, except perhaps briefly. The first victim had some bruises on his arm and chest, as if he'd suddenly started to struggle during the feeding and had to be held in place.

"Look, Gen, I get it," Niou said. He was usually a goofball, light hearted and joking even during their hunts, but now he was nothing but serious and angry. "But the elders are itching at the ass for a report. They're gonna figure this out on their own... The way these guys behaved before they kicked it, and a vamp who feeds like that from the wrist..." His face twisted into a grimace at the bitter irony. "It's interesting, isn't it? The little habits vampires have when they feed."

"No!" Sanada roared, slamming his fist into the nearby dumpster. He pulled away, an obvious dent now permanent in the blue metal. "It's not - .... I know what I saw!"

"Genichirou," Yagyuu stepped next to his longtime friend and commander, trying to become a stable force as best he could. "We know, we believe you, and we're just as upset. That's why it's all the more important we get to the bottom of this, to keep his name clear. It's all we can do for him now."

Sanada's throat growled instead of forming words, and all Yagyuu could do was sigh as Niou called for the cleanup team.

* * *

It was a relief, Ryouma felt, after the Kite case, that the next case they were assigned was so straight-forward and cookie cutter. A pair of newborn sibling vampires, out loose and caught in a feeding frenzy, who'd already killed their parents.

"It goes like this," Momo had told him. "One of the rebel clans probably turned them, but didn't keep an eye on them in the beginning like they're supposed to, and the two escaped. Ran home, went nuts needing to drink, and ended up going for Mom and Dad. It's a pretty common story."

_And now they become a problem for us,_ Ryouma thought, glancing over at his honey haired leader as they both raced up the stairs.

The moment the pair had been spotted, they split up - probably the smartest thing they'd done all day, considering how easy they'd been to track down. Momo and Kaidoh dashed after the slightly taller one, the one with hair dyed vibrant blue, yelling at each other some things that sounded like, "He's mine!", "I said I got 'im!", and "You couldn't catch a fly, idiot!"

The other brother, with his hair dyed a hideous purply red, had giggled and slipped into a nearby office building, leaving Fuji and Ryouma on a chase up the stairs. Ryouma would never admit it, but he was pretty relieved it was only four stories to the roof. Fuji looked absolutely fine when they got to the top, so the preteen swallowed his fatigue and forced himself to stand straight.

"Momo would be useful in this situation, nee?" Fuji smiled almost cheerfully, which didn't fit the mood at all, as he tentatively pushed the roof door open with his fingers.

The rooftop appeared empty, as the brunette calmly stepped out into the sunshine. For a second, the only thing either of them heard was the faintly humming wind against the building - and then the redhead dashed out from his hiding place behind the stairwell wall, his hand doubled in size with his extended claws.

He swiped across Fuji’s chest, but the hunter didn’t even flinch as he smoothly stepped back, just enough that the claws sailed harmlessly barely an inch away from his uniform. He shifted his head, then his shoulder, then stepped back, fluidly dodging each attack, even maintaining his unconcerned little smile. 

After a barrage of failed attacks, the small vampire finally got suspicious, leaping back when Fuji lifted his hand, as if sure of an impending attack. But all Fuji did was wave his hand in the air, showing that he had no weapons.

“This doesn’t have to end badly,” he said, his voice soft and friendly. “We understand that what happened was an accident. Your brother and you are only newborns in the life of a vampire - we can help you. Teach you control.”

“Why should we trust you?” The vampire growled, his eyes narrow with suspicion. But his exhaustion was obvious, his deep panting, the sweat along his brow, the shaking in his arms. He couldn’t even scratch one of the hunters facing him, and Ryouma stood blocking the stairwell. There would be no escape, not through brute force, anyway.

“Our organization isn’t out to hunt vampires,” Fuji said quietly. “We’re enforcers. We are, and always have been, a joint unity of both humans and vampires. We have rules, and as long as you follow them, you can live happily, for as long as your new blood allows.”

The vampire kept up his stance for what felt like an eternity, his arms drawn back and teeth seething as he stared at Fuji with blue contact covered eyes. He was clearly trying to decide if Fuji was telling him the truth - it wasn’t like he had many options.

“. . . My name is Youhei,” the red head finally said, his voice course but young. He couldn’t have more than a teenager, Ryouma realized, way too young to be turned.

Youhei slowly retracted his claws, still looking suspicious as Fuji took a small step towards him. The slender hunter slowly extended his hand, and Youhei stayed frozen for a second before finally extending his. 

The instant their hands, Youhei suddenly grabbed Fuji’s wrist and jerked him towards him, swinging him around with inhuman strength and trapped him with his arms, his claws extended against Fuji’s throat. 

“Heh, like I believe that shit!” The vampire screamed. He forced Fuji to walk forwards, closer to Ryouma and the stairwell. “I was warned about you people - I’m not living like a fucking pet, feeding off pigs and shit.”

His intentions were clear, as he inched forward with his hostage. “Let me out,” he declared to Ryouma, “or your buddy eats it.”

Ryouma’s expression hardly changed throughout the whole affair. His golden eyes stayed trained on Youhei, watching his every twitch. As for his commander, Fuji’s eyes stayed hidden behind his bangs - his smile was gone, but he certainly wasn’t scared. 

The young hunter wondered if that was what the rebels really believed, if they thought the vampires in the organization were just being used by humans. He knew his father always followed the rules, that Nanjiro had been happy, and that he had died fighting to protect the unity between humans and vampires. 

_“We can’t live as if we’re at war,” Nanjiro taught him. “Vampires feed off humans, but humans not only outnumber us - in many ways, they’re stronger. Before the four great houses formed their pact, we were always the hunters being hunted. We are better this way._

_“And as a great house of vampires, the Echizen family must fight to maintain the reputation of vampires, so that we aren’t seen as monsters ever again._

_“Even if that means killing our own.”_

Ryouma didn’t move as Youhei pushed towards him. The redhead never noticed the knife lift unaided from Fuji’s utility belt; he never sensed the invisible power being used by the gold eyed hunter as the knife positioned itself over his throat. 

Fuji didn’t move, his eyelids hardly wavered as blood sprayed across the back of his uniform, some landing on his cheek and hair. Youhei’s body crumpled lifelessly behind him, the knife embedded deep in his esophagus, his powers far too new and weak to heal him or keep him alive. 

Before, Ryouma would have thought the solid, expressionless blue of Fuji’s eyes were a mark of the cold ruthlessness he was famed for. But the young hunter had realized something, watching his lieutenant trying to reason with the teenage vampire, trying to save him from himself - offering out his hand despite the risk of getting killed or captured, instead of killing Youhei right then and there.

Fuji didn’t like hurting people.

“Momo and Kaidoh would be pissed at you,” Ryouma warned, his large gold eyes staring intently at Fuji as he wiped the blood of his cheek with a handkerchief. They sat quietly against the roof fence, taking a moment to breath out their exhaustion. “You knew what he was going to do, and you let it happen anyway.”

“I wanted to give him a chance,” Fuji said quietly. “He’s so young... and, he was overcome with newborn’s thirst. He would have drunk from me before he killed me.”

“And then that curse thing would have kicked in, and everything would have been okay?” Ryouma snorted, “Then he was right - he really would have lived like a pet, like Momo and Kaidoh.”

Fuji stayed silent, though Ryouma noticed his throat shift as he gulped. 

“You rely too much on other people,” Ryouma muttered. “It’s messed up, you know...how many vampires can feed on you before you dry out and die?”

He gave Fuji a few minutes to wallow, before popping out his cell phone. “What’s the number for the cleanup people?” He mumbled, pulling up the window for sending texts. 

“Here, let me put it in for you,” said Fuji, reaching for the device.

“No, just tell me the number,” Ryouma scowled, pulling the phone away and holding it out of reach. “You guys always take care of these things, I want to pull my weight.”

Pulling back his hand, Fuji chuckled, “You’re doing that already.” 

He finally told Ryouma the number, and as the young hunter fingered in their location, he thought he heard the lieutenant softly whisper, “You remind me of my little brother.”

* * *

Half an hour later, Momo and Kaidoh showed up, only barely beating the clean up team. They both claimed they would have caught up with their target sooner, if the other hadn’t been in their way. They didn’t have to say much more than that, after they directed the clean up team to a nearby park. It was obvious how things had ended, for both siblings.

They returned to headquarters, all four of them ready to shower and hit the mattress. Ryouma couldn’t believe the last eight weeks that had already passed since he’d gotten there - the three cases they’d gotten had been more than enough to wear him out, and they hadn’t even gotten any of those ‘true blood vampire’ cases Fuji had told him about. Then again, those were the cases Ryouma truly wanted to work... after all, his father had been in the true blood category, even though he’d always acted like a buffoon.

Fuji went straight to his office to write up a preliminary report, and Ryouma had a feeling from the look that Momo and Kaidoh exchanged that they were both wondering when they’d get their special time with him. The young hunter knew there was nothing he could do in that regards, so he nodded in parting at the gate and made a beeline for his room.

He was still drying his hair off with a towel when he heard an urgent rapping at the door.

“Doctor,” his golden eyes widened in surprise, wondering why the black haired officer would suddenly decide to visit him. 

Oishi didn’t give him a chance to ask, and burst in with uncharacteristic urgency, going straight to Ryouma’s wardrobe and taking out the preteen’s uniform.

“Finish drying your hair, then change into your uniform,” Oishi instructed, his usual politeness gone in obvious state of panic. “Oh no, there’s a wrinkle - okay, finish drying your hair and put everything else on, while I iron out the jacket.” 

“Um, what -”

“You’re going before the Council,” Oishi sputtered. The young hunter winced as the doctor pulled down his built in ironing board, the metal screeching as it set into place. “Don’t smile, don’t talk unless asked a question, and then try your best sound like you’re answering without giving an actual answer. Just let Fuji do the talking.”

Ryouma willed his hair faster, if that were possible, as he grabbed his socks and pants and started pulling everything on. “So um... Fuji and I are going before the elders?”

“And Momo and Kaidoh, the whole team. Here you go!” Oishi practically molested Ryouma as he pulled his jacket on, smoothing out the lapels and not missing a button. “The Council’s already waiting, so Fuji’s headed over there now. Okay, you’re ready, gotta hurry and get you there” - he was practically shoving Ryouma out the door as he said this - “Just remember, don’t talk, look serious, and try to act very, very, very professional.”

Ryouma found himself hurried down the hall, and he was pretty sure Oishi was going to have a hernia if he didn’t calm down. The poor doctor looked in need of a doctor, he was so distraught with a worried panic. 

They made it to the Council chambers in barely ten minutes, slowing to walk cordially through the entrance hall. Ryouma had to admit, the Council hall was impressive, with its high walls and portraits of just about every important leader and council member Ryouma had ever heard of. Ryuzaki Sumire, Fuji Yumiko, Yukimura Kunikazu, and even more ancient, obscured leaders that were woven into the historical fabric of the four families. He even caught a glance at a portrait of his father, clearly recently added, looking completely unlike himself in a suite and with a serious expression. 

_You only make the wall if you’re dead,_ Ryouma realized.

The council chamber doors were just as intimidating as the elders’ reputation. Stretching fifteen feet high, solid oak, carefully carved with the four family sigils - they seemed to represent everything Ryouma had ever learned about the four great families and their alliance. 

Since he had to wait outside to be summoned in, he took the time to study his own family’s sigil, the shield with the letter of aleph, contained by a circle, and the three prongs that topped the shield as if they formed a crown. The same symbol was engraved on the handle of his sword, a reminder of his family’s history and importance. The gentle ox, tame but strong, the first defender and true protector of the families’ alliance. Always dependable, always great. It was an honor he was determined to reclaim, no matter how small his family had become. 

The other three sigils were just as elegantly simple, showing the balance between the four. Yod, the symbol for the fallen Yukimuras, was perhaps the most eloquent, with the swirling arms that reached out from the letter’s round frame, making him think that the sigil looked like a trophy, and the three prongs on the top mirrored the crown like design his own family’s had. The family known as the hand, who with heavy pride brought all work to completion. He heard that those connected to the Sanadas often used this sigil in ceremonies, as the old branch family of the Yukimuras, keeping it alive in some twisted form of respect for their former heads, rather than develop their own sigil. 

The Ryuuzakis, the last of whom were truly dead and gone, had their sigil of reysh carved into a swirling circle. The irony of the eternity the circle claimed to represent, the more simple design used to emphasize their importance, did not escape him as he realized he’d never actually seen the sigil displayed outside of the history books he’d had to study in lessons. Reysh symbolized the leadership role the Ryuuzakis traditionally held over the other three, as the initiators of the great alliance between humans and vampires.

Last, almost hiding their significance by being placed in the lower panel of the left door, was the letter phe that represented the Fujis, carved within what could only be seen as the Star of David in its design. The mouth, those with the voice - they had always been seen as the guide, with their history of powerful seers, the powerful human family that had trusted the Ryuuzakis for the sake of some great vision they claimed to see of the future. 

The doors slowly cracked open, and a boy with short shaved hair popped his head out. “The council will see you now,” he said, waving Ryouma in. Oishi made some hand motions at him which he interpreted as ‘serious’ and ‘don’t smile’ and he cocked a reassuring smirk at the doctor, which only seemed to make him worry more. 

The elders’ chamber was cold and dim, not too unlike how he had imagined it. What light there was focused on the center of the floor, the low platform where he saw, to his surprise, the two hunters from the garden that Momo had told him were a part of Sanada’s team. Neither of the two tall men turned to look at him, their expressions stern, which suited the clean cut bespectacled one, but the platinum blond with his shaggy pony tail looked like he was itching to twitch, his fingers wringing together behind his back.

Above the floor, arched around two thirds of the crescent shaped room, was the high elevated seating block, its occupants out of reach and almost out of sight, reminding Ryouma very much of a jury box, though with the grandeur placed on the seating arrangements and how they centered the room, he supposed they also held the place of the judge. The dull light kept the elders hidden in shadows with little definition, merely vague silhouettes. He could only guess, from his lessons, who was who. He knew at least one of them was Fuji's father.

“This young man is Echizen Ryouma,” one of the elders spoke. His voice was old, and calm, and young at the same time. Ryouma could only guess that he was one of the older vampires.

There was murmuring among the elders, and Ryouma was sure he heard his father’s name several times. “Go stand with your team, Ryouma,” the man continued. Ryouma could just barely see the glint of circular lensed glasses on his face, and the light colored hair curling around his cheeks. 

Ryouma noticed Fuji and the others standing off to the side, just out of the light. Momo waved just slightly at him in greeting, but Fuji and Kaido just stood stoneley facing the Council, their faces unreadable in the dim light.

“Fuji Syuusuke, we have summoned you and your team here after hearing a very disconcerting report from your fellow hunters.”

“Tch!” The angry snort came from a small figure leaning against the wall, who Ryouma hadn’t noticed before. He had crimpy black hair, or maybe it just looked black in the light, and his eyes almost glowed red along with his obvious anger. 

The platinum blond under the light looked equally unhappy, but the bespectacled officer stayed the same, calm and serious as he walked towards them and handed Fuji a file. Fuji stepped forward into the light, clutching the in his hands.

If Ryouma thought that Fuji looked cold when striding around headquarters, that was nothing compared to how he looked now. Fully garbed in his lieutenant commander’s uniform, right down to the last ranking ribbon and pin, looked very formidable with his gloves and long trench coat. The advice Oishi had given was only an echo of how Fuji had frozen his visage - the calm, tight frown within his lips, the cold, steady gleam in his eyes that could freeze even hellfire - even his hair didn’t twitch, every muscle in his body was solidly in place. 

This was, undoubtedly, the Fuji Syuusuke that was reputed for having killed his own brother - for doing anything to thoroughly and perfectly complete his missions.

“You are aware,” the speaker continued, “of the hunters’ deaths case?”

First glancing coldly at Sanada’s team members, Fuji turned to face the council as he nodded. “The case Sanada’s team has been assigned to, yes.”

“We suspect that a true blood vampire is behind it, and thus it is being re-assigned to you. Take a look at the second page of the file.”

Ryouma thought that for barely a tenth of second, Fuji’s eyes widened, but then they narrowed and grew hard as he closed the folder. His voice was light and airy as he said, “I can’t hunt a vampire who is already dead.”

“Who said he is?” The platinum blond pursed his lips as he spoke, challenging not only Fuji but the very tension in the air.

“Niou Masaharu, isn’t it?” Fuji’s expression was crystal hard, but his voice had a friendly, light tone to it that, and even though it wasn’t directed at him, Ryouma felt like he was tightrope walking over a pit of daggers. “You’re rewriting history with this file. We all know he was killed when -”

“That’s what Sanada told us,” Niou interrupted, glaring a few daggers of his own. “Sanada’s the only one who saw him dead.”

“Why was Sanada not included in this briefing?” Fuji cut him off, the airiness gone out of his voice, replaced by a thinly contained anger. “This has been his case -”

“He’s missing,” Niou’s bespectacled partner injected. “He disappeared after the third murder.”

Now Fuji was silent, and Ryouma suspected the brunette was doing everything he could not to let his jaw drop. Momo and Kaidoh looked just as shocked, and even the elders seemed a little unsettled at the reaffirmation of this news.

“I already had my suspicions about the suspect,” Niou sneered, “but Sanada made me keep them to myself. But now that he's run off-”

“Sanada would never-” Fuji quickly cut himself off, re-schooling his expression into the cold, aloof visage he’d walked in with. “I understand.” He turned towards the elders, shutting off the two hunters with his body language. “I accept this case. I will find the culprit, and as per my orders, I will kill him as is our law. No lesser punishment would fit such an enemy who has murdered our fellow hunters.”

“Even if this enemy was once your friend?”

Lifting his head, Fuji’s voice was crystal clear with his harsh declaration. “Naturally. No matter what his history with our families and with me, Yukimura Seiichi must abide by the same rules as everyone else.”

A disconcerted murmur shuffled amongst the elders, and Ryouma guessed that even they felt uncomfortable with how coldly Fuji spoke of killing a vampire who was his friend. The youngest Echizen knew just enough from what his father’s diary read, that Fuji and Yukimura Seiichi had had some sort of camaraderie leading up to the recent battle against the twins.

But of all enemies they could go against, the legendary Yukimura Seiichi... 

The elder with round glasses settled the room as he spoke, “If you need any additional members for your team....”

“They will only slow us down,” Fuji cooly declared. “Our focus must be on our skills and strategy. Yukimura Seiichi is not so weak as to be affected by mere numbers."

“And if Sanada is with him?” Niou chided, clearly not intimidated by the chamber. “What will you do then?” His silvery eyes were narrow and calculating as they connected with Fuji’s cerulean. 

The lieutenant was equally cold as he returned the glare. Whatever thought passed between them, Ryouma wasn’t sure - he had a feeling that there was a lot to the story he didn’t know yet.

But he knew he needed to find out. Yukimura Seiichi had supposedly died in the same battle as his father. If the legendary vampire really was alive, then maybe he would know, maybe Ryouma could somehow ask him...

“Let us make this clear to the Council,” Fuji’s voice rang out clear after the long pause. “Sanada Genichirou is, and has always been, the epitome of loyalty - an example for us all. But, it is this same quality which may be his downfall in this case - that is the concern, yes?” 

_What are they talking about?_ Ryouma thought, wracking his brain and trying to remember what his dad had told him about Yukimura Seiichi. He figured that Sanada, Fuji, and Yukimura Seiichi must have been comrades, but the way this discussion was going...

One of the elders, an older woman, cleared her throat before she said, “Of course, Syuusuke, we only wish you to capture him, should he blindly side with his once lover. But if he becomes a liability...”

_Oh._ It was _that_ kind of thing. Ryouma suddenly realize that this was why they were all in such a panic, though it was hard to imagine the stern, hulk of a man who reeked of constant anger in love with anybody. Then again, he did seem like that sort of idiot.

Fuji’s confidence never wavered. “I will take care of it, as I always have.”

The murmurs of the elders rose in volume. _Considering the commander’s grandfather is one of them, they can’t all be in consensus about this,_ Ryouma thought, glancing around and trying to identify the oldest men in the stands.

“You have our confidence, Syuusuke, as always,” the original speaker declared, once the chatter had settled down. “We expect a swift and hopefully positive report from you. You are all dismissed.”

They exited quietly, but the moment the chamber doors closed, Fuji was a force to be reckoned with.

He waved his team over to him, issuing orders in a quiet but firm voice. “Momoshiro, go with Niou and Yagyuu and get the rest of the details for this case from them. You can tell if they’re lying.”

“Ya know Niou was lying the whole time, right?” Momo said, shoving his hands in his pockets and lifting his eyebrows.

“Of course, he has his team to protect. Those two have worked for Sanada far too long to turn on him now – and they were close to Yukimura too. Kaidoh –”

“Fshuu…” Kaido looked focused towards their group leader.

“Go to Oishi’s office and retrieve the records for every member that Yukimura fed from while he was here. That’s one of the things these victims have in common – they each let him feed from them at some point. Ryouma, come with me – I’ll fill you in on some things in my office.”

“You better,” Ryouma grumbled, as his teammates scampered off. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Sanada’s three teammates muttering quietly to themselves across the hall. Momo approached them and said a few words, and they nodded at him before going off.

“What do you mean by Yukimura Seiichi feeding off of hunters?” Ryouma decided to start with. He had plenty of questions.

Sighing, Fuji brushed back his bangs as he replied, “Yukimura… you know how he slept for nearly a century. He was having enough trouble adjusting to modern technology, and he liked to feed the old fashion way. From the wrist, very formally, in careful amounts … I’m sure your father taught you the rules.”

Shrugging, Ryouma thought of the wine and pills and other methods of drinking he always watched his father use. He wanted to ask more, but he noticed Fuji was walking rather quickly, and even he was surprised that someone only a few inches taller than him could speed walk at such a pace.

Fuji practically burst through the doors of his office, going straight to his desk and grabbing for his cell phone which he’d left on top of it. 

“What are you planning to do?” Ryouma asked, his eyebrow quirked at how quickly Fuji’s thumbs flew across his phone.

“Texting that idiot,” Fuji hissed in reply.

“Don’t you think they would have tried that one?” Ryouma sighed. It was obvious to him that Fuji was not as emotionally detached as he’d acted in the chamber.

“The file says he didn’t respond.” Fuji’s eyes never left his phone. “But he _will_ respond to _me_.”

Ryouma stayed silent as Fuji continued to glare at his phone. Finally the officer put down his phone in frustration, and flopped down in his office chair. Elbows up on the desk, he buried his face in his hands.

They stayed like that for several minutes, and Ryouma realized he was being trusted, to see Fuji broken down like this. He considered leaving to give the brunette a moment of privacy, but just then, Fuji’s phone almost vibrated itself off the desk.

Fuji grabbed it and pulled up the text, and Ryouma leaned over to see as well.

The text was definitely from Sanada. But it didn’t say anything – all that was there was a picture attachment. Fuji loaded it onto the display.

The moment the pixels cleared, Fuji let out a faint gasp.

“Who is that?” Ryouma asked, looking up at his lieutenant who looked more than a little stunned. It was hard to tell in the photo, which had been taken in low light, but two people were standing in an alley, slightly obscured by the darkness and the low angle. It looked like the photographer – presumably Sanada – had been hiding from the subjects, behind a trash bin. Ryouma could barely make out a man, he thought wearing glasses and a long trench coat, its color an ordinary brown, and his hands tucked in his pockets. 

The other person in the photo was undoubtedly a young girl, a least a foot shorter than the bespectacled man. She was facing away from the camera, two long braids falling down her back and blending into her long, ankle length skirt. He could imagine it swishing around her legs as she walked, or maybe skipped. He couldn’t see many other details, but something about the bohemian layers of her outfit and the flower clip he could barely make out in her hair, made him feel like she was very young and probably very pretty.

“… It’s… “ Fuji stopped, looking a little confused. “It’s not Yukimura, if that’s what you’re wondering. I haven’t a clue who the girl is, or why Sanada would send me such a random picture.” Clearly annoyed, Fuji started texting back, demanding more information.

“But you know who the man is,” Ryouma glared at his lieutenant.

“. . . He _would_ send me a picture of him. . .” Fuji mumbled, more to himself than to Ryouma. “But where . . . ” Fuji stopped for a second, looking thoughtful, then set down his phone. It wasn’t showing any signs of receiving a reply, anyway.

“Yukimura Seiichi… of course, the main reason they suspect him is because he has a power that would make these murders very easy.” Fuji pulled open one of his draws, and pulled out a map. He started unfolding it, and Ryouma helped him, as it was large enough to take over the desk. “Yukimura had.. has the ability to cut off a person’s senses, and if he has enough time and focus, take control of those senses completely.” He tapped the map, and Ryouma peered down to see a red circle where his finger was.

_That’d be headquarters,_ Ryouma thought, noticing the landmarks.

Fuji pulled out a pencil, and drew a large circle around the area. “Basically, he could control people, as if he possessed them. But he had a limit… that person needed to be within a certain physical distance from him. Sanada knows this better than anyone… he would have searched for areas close to Headquarters. And….” Fuji flipped open the folder, handing Ryouma some papers and putting some down in front of himself. Ryouma couldn’t help but notice a photo of the dark skinned, bald man he’d seen in the hallway was amongst them. 

“The victims were all found within this range, too. It’s not that large, only a few miles.” Fuji drew his fingers over the paper, stopping over some rectangular shapes that must have represented buildings. “There are only a few places close enough that would have alleyways like this.” He quickly folded up the map, barely giving Ryouma time to recollect the papers and shove them back in the file. Grabbing his utility belt, Fuji began strapping it on, and dumped his cell phone into his coat pocket. “It’s not far, we’ll walk there.”

“We’re not going to wait for Momo or Kaidoh?” Ryouma scrambled to put his own things together, before charging out the door after his flurried commander.

“No, they’re off this case,” Fuji stated, his voice firm. “They shouldn’t come….” He paused, looking at Ryouma for a second as if suddenly aware that he was there.

“They shouldn’t come _because?_ ” Ryouma growled, tired of being left in the dark.

“Because,” Fuji breathed, “That man in the photo…

“That’s Tezuka Kunimitsu.”

* * *

The night air greeted them with a chilly front as they finally reached the cluster of apartments that Fuji had circled on the map. Between the apartment complexes and the small businesses that dotted around the street, there were plenty of small alleyways that looked like the one in the photo.

Ryouma thought about Tezuka Kunimitsu, wracking his brain for everything he knew. Tezuka Kunimitsu… once an heir to the Yukimura family, but that was a century and a half ago.  
Now he was no more than a traitor, leading an alliance of small vampire clans who refused to accept the rules set by the four great families, along with his twin brother. Many considered him to be the most powerful vampire alive… in both fighting abilities and influence.

Kaidoh and Momo were Tezuka’s offspring… Fuji was right, no matter what curse the two vampires may have been bound to, testing that against the rights of their blood master was far too risky. And frankly, even though he liked them, Ryouma didn’t trust either one. The way they fed, without any regard for the rules – they hadn’t chosen to side with the organization, they were just stuck. 

Tezuka Kunimitsu and Yukimura Seiichi… two of the great legends from the vampire war. But they were bitter enemies, rivals from the day they were born, and this was more than just a serial murder cases with names like that being thrown around.

Ryouma was starting to feel concerned, with the way they were searching. It was obvious they weren’t going to find anything. There had been one more victim after the bald hunter, who Ryouma saw from the file was named Jackal, who had already been found. One thing was for sure – Sanada’s team really had delayed making their report, probably to protect their commander.

He wondered if that’s why Fuji was acting this way, making them crawl around town without any real leads, if this was all concern for his superior, who Fuji was obviously close to. Ryouma didn’t believe that lieutenant could actually kill his friend, no matter what he had said to the elders… but, Fuji obviously had more darkness in him than he had shown… he had, after all, murdered his own brother, all to protect the organization. Killing Sanada, should he prove to have turned traitor, would only be more of the same.

Rouma was almost ready to grab Fuji’s arm and make him call it quits, when out of the corner of his eye, he caught notice of a shadow.

“Oi…” He grabbed Fuji’s sleeve, tugging it to get his attention, and nodded his head towards one of the alleys. They slipped into the space between two complexes, looking as trash filled and ordinary as the rest. Like many of the others, it had a blue bin, but what caught Ryouma’s attention was the crossing of two alleys, identical to the ones in the picture.

They went forward cautiously, both on alert. The area seemed abandoned, not even a rat in sight, and Ryouma wondered if he’d actually seen movement, or that was just his imagination.

“… This is near where the fourth victim was found,” Fuji whispered, keeping his voice from echoing off the narrow alley walls, as he looked over a piece of paper. “He was dumped lifeless near that music shop.” 

His eyes widening in awareness as if he sensed something. He stood up, motioning for Ryouma to stay quiet and hidden behind the dumpster. Ryouma looked out past him, wondering if this was where Sanada had taken that photo earlier.

Fuji froze standing where he was, his hand drifting up to his chest and clutching slightly into a fist. His eyes were wide and watery, his lower lip trembling slightly as he stared ahead.

A man had paused at the crossroads of the alley ways, as if he’d been crossing and noticed Fuji standing there. His brown eyes looked calmly through rimless lenses, his expression calm and stony, as if he had no reaction at all to the out-of-place being staring at him, other than the fact he was obviously staring back. His long chestnut colored trench coat seemed to drape over his shoulders like a cape, matching his unkempt locks of dark brown hair that shifted wildly about his face.

All they did was look at each other, for what felt like several minutes. Then the bespectacled man finally turned away his head, and continued on his way down the perpendicular alley, out of sight in an instant.

Fuji just stood there, staring, and finally Ryouma had enough and stood up and pushed against his shoulder.

“Oi! … Earth to Fuji Syuusuke,” Ryouma grumbled. 

Fuji finally seemed to find his breath, as he whispered, “That was…”

“…Tezuka Kunimitsu, _yeah I noticed_ ", Ryouma hissed. “What the hell was that…” He looked back towards the cross roads, but he knew their pursuit would be too late. “He must have known that you’re a hunter. He didn’t even flee, he just left. And what the hell is up with you?” He charged, shaking Fuji by the shoulder as if to shake him out of his strange stupor.

“I….” Fuji clutched his own arm, looking away, and Ryouma noticed his cheeks were colored like he was some sort of teenage school boy caught with his pants down.

“Even if you’ve faced off with Tezuka before, that was one hell of a weird reaction,” Ryouma growled. “You were like that with the picture too. What, is there something going on between you two?”

Fuji’s mouth opened then closed, his chin dropping he looked down at the floor. For the first time, Ryouma felt like he saw Fuji for what he really was, a young man barely out of his teens, forced to grow up fast for the sake of his role, but not really grown.

“Tezuka is….” The brunette finally breathed, his voice lightly trembling. “He’s… someone I should hate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork for this chapter:
> 
> [Sigils of the Four Families](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/sigils_zps7bf2d4ca.jpg)
> 
> ["Hunting" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/02-001hunting_zpsdea46543.jpg)
> 
> ["Hunting" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/02-002hunting_zpsc30ac1e3.jpg)
> 
>  ["Hunting" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/02-003hunting_zps32f7f601.jpg)
> 
>  ["Hunting" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/02-004hunting_zps3a6369ec.jpg)
> 
> Some little details are different because the story evolved after the artwork was drawn. Like concept art to the final? ^^;;


	3. Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childhood innocence blossoms and fades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!! =^__^= To all my fellow TezuFuji and SanaYuki fans. I love you all.

_There is that kid again,_ Sanada thought. _He still looks like a girl._

Blue eyes turned to look at him, as if aware of their observer, and the kid in question smiled and waved at him.

A blush struck across Sanada's cheeks as he turned his nose away, embarrassed at being caught.

The blue eyed boy was playing with his little brother - Sanada knew they were brothers, of course, because he knew who both of them were. Everyone knew who the two heirs of the Fuji clan were. 

It'd been a year since Sanada had seen them, and they were even smaller then (Yuuta, the younger one, was really small and he kept crying over every stupid little thing), and he doubted they'd remember him.

He really only remembered them because they were trouble makers. Well, the older one with the blue eyes and the funny smile, Syuusuke, was. Last time the Sanada and Fuji clans held their annual convention, Syuusuke caught a lizard, and tied a string around its stomach. He then dangled it in front of Yuuta, scaring the wits out of the then four-year old and making him cry. Sanada had bravely tried to bat the lizard down with his bouken, but one of the nursery caretakers had spotted them and thought he was trying to hit Syuusuke.

Of course this had turned into a full blown incident between the families, and Sanada had been forced by his parents to kowtow to Syuusuke and his parents, apologizing again and again as if _he'd_ done something wrong. No one believed him when he told them about the lizard; Yuuta just cried and shook his head when asked, and Syuusuke just smiled and accepted his apology.

It hadn't been a good memory; after that he'd been forced to sit between his parents and listen to all the adult's boring talk, going over the previous year's cases and planning new strategies. This year, he'd forced himself to count to one hundred, then slipped out to use the bathroom and was now wandering around.

He'd wondered what happened to the brothers, who hadn't even come to the introduction. Their parents probably kicked them out from the beginning because they were trouble makers. He certainly would have, if he were their parents.

"...n-kun. ... Gen-kun!"

Startled, Sanada jerked back when he saw Syuusuke's face barely inches away from his. He'd been so annoyed at the memories, he hadn't been paying attention.

Giggling, Syuusuke tapped Sanada on the forehead, way more friendly than he was allowed to be. "Your forehead's all wrinkly, Gen-chan! It makes you look angry." The petite brunette looked way too amused by this, even though it was totally his fault that Sanada felt angry right now. Not that Syuusuke had cause any new trouble this year - so far.

"I know!" Syuusuke exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "You should come to the beach with us! It'll make you happy again."

"I said I don't want to go to the beach," Yuuta whined, stamping down his foot. The little brunette was toddling after his big brother, just as pipsqueaky as Sanada remembered, not that Syuusuke was much bigger. 

Sanada had been about to say the same thing, but he didn't whine, and he didn't want to be lumped in with a dumb five-year old. So instead he said, "Our yukata will get dirty."

"We're going to change," Syuusuke grinned smartly, and grabbed Sanada's hand. Syuusuke already had Yuuta held with his other hand, and he dragged both of them down the hallway, humming happily to himself.

That was how Sanada found himself crawling around in sand, dumping on ocean water and pushing it into mounds with Syuusuke’s guidance. They each built their own large mound, except Yuuta kept building a bunch of little ones, but what could you expect from a five year old? At the age of six, Sanada was already smart enough to know that the tallest mound won over many tiny mounds, so he made sure his was the tallest. They used the bucket to shape the tops into castles, since the bucket itself was designed to be in the shape of a tower. It was a silly kid’s toy, but Sanada had to admit it made a pretty fine looking castle.

But it was missing something. Sanada remembered that in all his grandfather’s war stories, the ones that were appropriate for a six year old, there was something the victor always used to mark his newly won territory.

“I’ll be right back,” he huffed, and took off before the brothers could say anything. 

He looked around the sand, going off a ways, but he didn’t want to take too long. There were some rocks he’d seen when getting water, and he figured debris would have collected around them. Sure enough, he saw what he wanted under the outcropping of the rocks, and had just bent down to get it when he noticed that the shadow from the rocks was not from the rocks at all, but from a man.

He looked up, with as much curiosity as any six year old would have, to see a tall, bespectacled, messy haired man looking back down at him. 

The man was frowning, which reminded Sanada of his grandfather, but other than that had no real expression, while Sanada’s grandfather always looked angry. They stared at each other for a few seconds, then the man seemed to overcome whatever it was that had kept him staring, and suddenly jerked back and disappeared. It was so fast, and so unnatural, that even at the age of six, Sanada Genichirou was very suspicious.

He grabbed the tiny stick he’d been after and stood up, looking around the shore line. He didn’t see anyone else around, not even the two caretakers that had come with them, but from here he could see their castles, and see Syuusuke and Yuuta patting and shaping the sand. The brothers and the castles were really the only interesting thing he could see, since the shore soon ended as the rocks grew into a cliff, and the rest was just sand and ocean.

The man was completely out of sight.

Sanada didn’t know what to do, since the man had disappeared, and no one would probably believe him anyway. Everyone but his grandfather told him he should be more trusting of people, but this man was even more suspicious than the man who drove around in the musical truck selling ice cream, or the woman who taped flyers on the poles around the neighborhood whenever it was time to vote. Sanada was sure this man had been watching them, but he didn’t want to be called a liar, so he took his stick and walked back, deciding not to say anything.

For some reason, the man’s face stayed stuck in his mind. It was probably the thin framed glasses. Sanada didn’t know a lot of people with glasses; since they could fall off, a lot of hunters wore contacts. 

He got back to the task at hand. He needed one more thing, but he doubted he could find a piece of paper around here. Clothe was good, he decided, so he pulled out his pocket knife (his mother had furiously objected, but his grandfather had sneaked it to him later, anyway) and cut into his shirt. It was harder than he thought, but he tore off just enough cloth, and used the prong part of his multi-use pocket knife to poke holes.

He finished just as he reached the sand castles, pulling the cloth down onto the stick, and radiantly stuck his stick-and-cloth flag into the top of his castle. 

“I have conquered the castle of the sea,” Sanada announced, and Syuusuke laughed, his feet tucked up against his chest as he rocked happily. He looked like he was done, even though his castle wasn’t as high as Sanada’s, but Yuuta was still making little castles. The first few towers he’d made had crumbled, Sanada noticed, which was probably why he kept making more. Five year olds were just too young for good sand castle making.

By the time they finished playing and went home, he’d forgotten all about the man hiding behind the rocks. Their caregivers looked tired, and quickly shuffled the Fuji brothers off towards their room. Sanada’s parents trusted him enough not to assign him a 24-7 caregiver, so he had a little more freedom, at least until bedtime. 

Of course, at the end of the day he still got in trouble, this time for dragging sand all over the house. He’d been careful to brush off most of the sand while they walked back from the beach, but his torn up t-shirt and sand covered shorts seemed to make him the target of the adults’ wrath. The caregivers that had accompanied them early had completely disappeared, and Sanada realized he was on his own.

Syuusuke, standing next to his parents in his clean, perfectly pressed yukata, smiled at him and cheerfully said he forgave him, but next time, they should all go to the beach.

* * *

 _That's him_ , Genichirou though, his mind numb with alarm. They were in class, as collecting knowledge was another form of training, and this was the first time he'd seen a picture of Tezuka Kunimitsu. _That's the vampire who was watching us build sandcastles._

The eight year old didn't really know what to do with his new found knowledge. He knew he should have told the adults, and now he felt too guilty that he hadn't, and knew he never would. He had to tell Syuusuke though. But Syuusuke had probably forgotten.

It would probably only scare him, too. Syuusuke wasn't tough like Genichirou was. Syuusuke cried when he read books, and when his pet finch escaped. He kept his hair long like a girl's, almost touching his shoulders, even though all the other soon-to-be hunters had theirs trimmed efficiently short. And he looked like a girl too, and was mistaken for one all the time. And girls were weak and cried all the time, so Syuusuke was weak. Even if Syuusuke was top of his class in gymnastics, fencing, swimming, and archery.

So Genichirou decided not to tell him after all.

* * *

When Syuusuke saw the pictures of the cursed twins - Tezuka Kunimitsu, Atobe Keigo - he thought nothing of it, other than to memorized their faces perfectly. He had not seen the man at the seashore, but many times since, he had felt the same presence watching him. But he had never seen the man's face, and he didn't feel threatened, so he left it alone. He didn't even tell Genichirou, the next time they played together, because Genichirou would worry. Genichirou liked to act tough, but then he'd worry and fret and make mistakes. Genichirou was weak like that, which was why it was so easy for Syuusuke to beat him when they sparred, because all Syuusuke had to say was something embarrassing and Genichirou would mess up.

Syuusuke pulled his thoughts away from his friend to focus on the lesson, as the pictures changed. They saw pictures of Yukimura Seiichi and Fuji Yumiko. He heard the kids around him whispering when Fuji Yumiko came up, probably about him, but none of them said anything to him directly. They didn't talk to him, the heir of the great Fuji clan, who excelled at everything and thought he was better than everyone else (that's what they said, but Syuusuke didn't really think that was - he knew he wasn't better, he just had some things he was really good at), and who was too cold for them to want to be friends with. 

He'd tried smiling at them. He even practiced smiling in the mirror, every day, until he always smiled, and now he had a reputation for it. It worked great on the adults, they all thought he was very sweet, but the other kids didn't buy it. They said he was creepy, that his smile was fake. He smiled even when he beat the other kids at practice, and so they said he was cold, and that his smile was condescending.

By then, he'd practiced smiling so much, he couldn't stop. The other kids stayed away from him. Genichirou was his only friend, but they only saw each other twice a month, at special training practices. And Yuuta wouldn't play with him anymore, complaining he didn't want to because no matter what they played, Syuusuke always won. But if Syuusuke lost on purpose, Yuuta would get even more mad, and so in the end, the adults told Syuusuke to leave his little brother alone, since no one wanted to deal with Yuuta's tantrums.

He zoned out for the rest of the lecture. It was all about the vampire war, how many people had died and who they were, and the mystery of the missing records, how so many had disappeared or been destroyed over the years. He knew he'd hear it all again in future training sessions, so he memorized the parts that seemed interesting and ignored the rest. He was excited for practical training, which would come later: they would get to use swords today, just wooden practice ones, but he was tired of the silly little fencing ones that were all too easy to whip around, and wouldn't be useful against a real vampire anyway. And he'd see Genichirou, and see how much his friend had progressed.

He looked out the window, and wondered if the man was still out there, watching him.

* * *

 _Finally_ , Fuji thought, as he took a deep breath of preparation. He was tired of all the small, uneventful cases he’d been assigned to over the last year since he’d been accepted into the organization as a professional hunter. Just when he was sure that Sanada wasn’t ever going to let him in on any missions that went beyond paperwork, the elders had recognized his talent and given him a mission directly.

He was sixteen - already three years older than Sanada had been when _he’d_ become a hunter and bragged about his first kill. And now he was already a lieutenant, and to make matters worse, Fuji had been assigned under him in his group - which meant Sanada got to order him around, even though they were the same age.

Not that Fuji ever listened. He was proud of himself for always taking the initiative, and trailing after Sanada and his teammates when they went on serious missions. He’d had little bits of action here and there, more than enough to prove himself, but somehow each episode ended with an hour long lecture in Sanada’s office, in which he was more or less told off for getting in the way.

But Sanada couldn’t deny the brunette’s importance any more. Fuji had earned the nickname tensai, for prodigy, after excelling in every subject at the academy - he knew he was capable of being useful. And now the elders knew it too, and had assigned him to another group temporarily for a very special assignment.

Still, this was not exactly the kind of assignment Fuji meant he wanted. He took another glance at himself in the mirror, blushing at his own reflection, which only made him look more ridiculous along with all the makeup coating his cheeks. He understood that spying was all about the art of disguise, but with all of this, he could hardly recognize himself.

Soft, blue satin draped down from the halter around his neck, hiding his lack of curves as if lowed down past his ankles. A glass rose, tinted with the same blue shade to match his eyes, or so he’d been told, sat against his throat, held in place by the many strands of pearls that either circled his neck or hung around his shoulders. He could only be thankful for the sheer, silvery shawl he’d been instructed to drape over his elbows. He knew the moment he stepped outside he’d be freezing, with his arms otherwise entirely exposed. 

At least he could walk, with the split that ran almost completely up his thigh, revealing how pale and scrawny his legs were. The woman who’d dressed him had commented how unfair it was that he wouldn’t have to shave, thought he didn’t know why - the boys at his former school had made it pretty clear that hairlessness was a total defect for a man. At least they couldn’t see him now - the teasing would be endless. 

He was rather certain, with the feathered headpiece they’d set into his hair, that he was dressed entirely over the top. The headpiece included a rose of its own, carefully crafted with white silk petals, and matching pearl straps that wove through his hair, making the ordinary brown strands seem a little more sophisticated. They’d clipped on matching earrings, each a heavy bunch of pearls that at first reminded him of grapes, but after a while he had to admire their craftsmanship. Everything he wore was extraordinarily sophisticated, which was something he could appreciate.

Having to pretend to be a girl was not - especially with the four inch heels he found himself balancing on, that pinched in his toes. 

But by the time he approached his date, he was already an expert at walking in them, focused on maintaining the graceful stride that had been ingrained in him for as long as he could remember. He didn’t bother with his usual smile - his goal now was not to look friendly, but to stay solemn and not attract attention. He knew his nervousness did not show on his face, and could only hope that his fingers which clung to his opposing elbow looked like a sign that he was cold, not overflowing with embarrassment.

He approached the awaiting vampire silently, already melded into his role. They had only met once, briefly in the Elders’ Chamber, and all Fuji really knew was that this Kite Eishirou was a spy for the organization, which was why he’d never met him before at headquarters. Kite’s own three piece suite was a relic of the past, its elegantly large lapels and broad, decorated shoulders blended well with Fuji’s attire. Kite handed the sixteen year old a mask, small in that it only covered the eyes, but ornately set with stones above the nose piece, and with edges carved out to look like wing tips. 

Kite set on a mask of his own, slightly more masculine with its design limited to a matching set of jewels in the center. Fuji supposed the masks were why the vampire was not wearing his glasses today, as he had been when they received their orders. He no longer had the chance to ask any more questions - they were running out of time to arrive at their enemies’ ball.

He had to admit, he was more than impressed as they were slowly rowed away from the drop off point. A series of small boats waited to float them and other arriving guests across the river, with larger boats taking across supplies. Two lamps sat at either end of each boat, all together creating a glittering sea of starry lights across the water - all part of the carefully crafted setting, apparently. Kite explained that Atobe Keigo was the one who organized these events, claiming they were a way for the rebel clans to bond, though more importantly this was a way for them to cling to the traditions of old, from the days vampires ruled from the shadows, and humans were happy to be invited into their arms, thinking they were joining the social life of the rich and powerful. 

The building they approached reflected well on that premise. It could only be described as a palace. Its entry way greeted them with a long row of columns, with a second story rising up beyond it, smaller but even more delicate with its many arches that circled its exterior. A copper dome finished out its renaissance era exterior, and Fuji wondered if it was truly only a recreation. He’d seen pictures of St. Petere’s Basilica, and couldn’t help but feel this was its long estranged cousin.

Despite Kite’s reassurance, the lithe hunter was still relieved when he saw those arrived were equally dressed in Venetian fashion for the masquerade. This was only reconnaissance, he reminded himself. There was no need for him to feel nervous.

The ballroom was, thankfully for Fuji’s feet, just beyond the entry columns. Couples swirled across the dance floor, refined in their well practiced motions as a group of violins and strings played tirelessly in the far corner. Many of the women’s ball gowns were far more florid than Fuji’s; he couldn’t imagine wearing such an incredibly sized petticoat in addition to what he already was.

He didn’t want to think too hard about who the other guests were. Almost all of the men must have been vampires, of that much he was certain, but he knew very few women ranked among them. Most of the ladies he saw were invitees - humans who knew little of the truth about their dates and fellow masqueraders, and depending on the hunger of who they were with, many would not be returning to their families tonight. 

It was under this guise that he’d been able to attend with Kite, as well. He glanced around, the truth slowly dawning on him as he tried to focus on his mission - with everyone in costume, he couldn’t make out anyone’s faces.

* * *

Tezuka in no way enjoyed parties, but he could understand the point of attending. The sponsors of tonight’s masquerade were important sponsors for their cause, and though keeping them happy was Atobe’s job, Tezuka knew he had to do his part by at least showing up. 

Still, that didn’t mean he had to talk to anybody. He hadn’t brought a date - he didn’t know what the point was, of pretending to have a dame in his life, or of courting one, and frankly, he didn’t even like women. He had already made his rounds, greeting each of the clan leaders and their gracious hosts, and had retreated to the side of the hall, nursing a glass of blood wine to appear occupied.

Atobe, of course, was having a fabulous time. He practically sparkled with all the attention he was receiving - he carried his frilly sleeves and carefully bejeweled dress shirt with elegant ease, and Tezuka knew his twin brother could stroll the streets of Tokyo in such fashion and still fit right in.

He himself was dressed to hide; his suite black from head to toe, though it touched on a few ornate points of its own; his mask was also black, melding well with his stern countenance. He kept his eyes trained on his brother, making note of the newest entries.

Already Atobe was drifting over to a new pair that entered. Tezuka recognized Kite Eishirou, from the Higa clan, but he couldn’t place the petite lady clinging to the clan leader’s arm. Not that he expected to recognize most of the women in attendance, but there was something about her short, honey colored hair and slender frame that looked familiar to him.

She was quite beautiful, even he had to admit. The cerulean fabric swirling about her ankles swept slightly upwards with every step, unveiling her smooth, slender legs; her shawl and the skirt’s waving dual layers brought weight to her otherwise shapeless hips. Glowing strands of pearls ran delicately across her pale, bared shoulders, and even with much of her face hidden by the mask, the youthful gleam of her narrow lips and elfish nose brought many to look in her direction.

Nor did she escape Atobe’s glance, which Tezuka was sure was why his brother had made such a beeline for the couple, despite his usual aversion towards the clan leader. Atobe had never liked Kite. The Higa clan was quite young by their standards, so young they hadn't fought in the vampire war. And Kite was a snake, in everything he did, so Atobe didn't trust him. Honestly, Tezuka didn't either, but they were not in the position to discard allies.

“Kite,” Atobe nodded cordially towards the dark haired vampire, before glueing his eyes to the companion. “And who might this lovely lady accompanying you tonight?”

The bespectacled vampire scoffed, “You know my taste, Atobe,” before pulling the girl away with him towards the dance floor.

“Aah, in that case,” Atobe smoothly wove in front of the two, and took hold of the young woman’s hand. “Perhaps I can butt in, as I have the same _taste_.”

Kite only glared as Atobe tugged the lady towards him. She glanced back at the clan leader, looking rather hesitant, but his cold gaze offered her no escape as Atobe lead her to the dance floor. 

Sipping his wine, Tezuka had a sudden revelation in regards to the exchange. He was pretty sure the only thing those two had in common was that they both liked men, both for food and sex. 

So that was it then. The lack of curves, the slender grace... still, for a man, the child had rather soft, round features. He had to be young, perhaps in his middle teens. Though despite his obvious reluctance, he did appear trained to dance, or at least able to follow quite smoothly. 

He kept looking around, probably for his lost companion, who seemed to have fully disappeared. The teen had no idea that all he was doing was enticing Atobe’s interest further, as Tezuka’s diva for a brother hated to be ignored, especially when he was ‘gracing a plebeian with his presence’. It was when the youth glanced over in Tezuka’s direction, scanning his section of the crowd, that the brown haired vampire caught sight of vivid, sky colored orbs, sharp and unmistakably familiar.

Then the eyes were gone, as Atobe arced the petite youth away from him, and the two spiraled across the dance floor. But Tezuka knew those eyes - he would recognize them anywhere, even here, with their coating of shadow and blanket of mascara. After all, they belonged to the child he’d been watching grow for years.

_The elders still continue to be fools,_ he thought with bitter disgust, _who throw away their own children._

Atobe, of course, could not keep his hands to their appropriate places on his dance partner. One was a little too low, and clutching a little too much, bunching the blue fabric upwards, while the other seemed to extend beyond its role of guidance as it started to rub against the young man’s wrist and hand.

Sighing, Tezuka set his glass down on a passing waiter’s tray. Kite was truly nowhere in sight, though Tezuka doubted he would provided any sort of appropriate rescue. It was a matter, the hazel eyed vampire supposed, of doing what was right. 

He couldn’t allow such a small, innocent being to be destroyed by the century old battle between him and his brother, and the council of elders that had brought nothing but pain to anyone he had ever loved.

* * *

Fuji was at a loss of what to do, as his partner twirled him around the dance floor. He was fairly certain that getting close to the rebel vampires’ leaders did not mean this close. To have been picked out by Atobe Keigo of all beings... and the silver haired diva seemed tireless in his attention. Fuji was tired of being frightened, but at the same time too frightened to think about his mission, with Kite having disappeared. No matter where he looked, he couldn’t make out the Higa’s pale purple tuxedo; there were so many colors and detailed outfits, and he was being turned so fast that everything was quickly becoming a blur.

He felt Atobe’s fingers squeeze slightly at his lower back, and he couldn’t stop a gasp from escaping his lips. He had pitied earlier that ladies here that would end the night in some vampire’s bed, satisfying both the creature’s lust and hunger, but he hadn’t imagined he might become one of them. And ignoring the crowd of masqueraders, he knew that even in a one on one fight with Atobe Keigo, he did not have the ability to win. 

His lower lip trembled as it fell open, his tongue debating if it should tell the influential vampire the truth about his gender. But from what he knew of Atobe, that would only make his situation worse, and he was starting to suspect that Kite had given that part away with his little exchange earlier. 

The song ended, much to his relief, and he tried to take this moment to pull away. But Atobe’s hands stayed fixed around the teenager’s waist, and he found himself pulled so close their bodies pressed together.

“Another dance, my lady?” The vampire drawled, his voice smooth and luscious. It was obvious that Fuji couldn’t refuse, and already he could feel Atobe’s fingers massaging around his sides, and he wondered if the diva would even let them stay long enough to complete the next dance.

“Perhaps with a different partner.”

The stern, deep voice broke the focus the two of them had on each other, and Fuji found himself looking at the most rigid, deep frown he had ever seen. The man stared at Atobe with reprimanding hazel eyes, framed by a coal colored mask, which finely coordinated with the equally dark fabric of his suite. 

He took a step towards them, extending his hand. “Shall we dance?”

Fuji risked a glance at their silver haired host, but Atobe was too busy returning the glare to look at him, completely focused on this new arrival. But one set of the diva’s fingers was still sliding against the bare skin of his arm, and he quickly took the loosened grip as an invitation to break away, stepping meagerly towards the dark man. _Anyone is better than Atobe,_ he convinced himself, remembering to curtsey slightly before taking the proffered hand.

“How unusual,” Atobe’s smile grew lewd, but his eyes stayed focused on the man, much to Fuji’s relief. “For you to find something that interests you. Which interests me, of course - so go on. The music’s already playing.” He stepped away with a small bow, waving towards the dance floor as he stepped aside.

The man did not sweep him forward, as Atobe had, but held up their hands with his fingers high and proper. Even as they joined the other dancers, he held stiffly to his role, taking perfect, square steps and sliding almost mechanically to the side as the dancers began to travel. 

In fact, the man was so stiff, he reminded Fuji of Gen-chan, who grew more and more stiff when he was nervous. Fuji couldn’t help but let out a little smile, wondering if his serious faced rescuer was nervous as well. Finally he relaxed, letting his dance partner guide him smoothly across the floor. For the first time of the night, he truly noticed the music, the eloquent melody of strings that harmoniously coated the air with the sounds of Tchaikovsky.

The man’s hands stayed polite and respectful, even when the music called for a dip, and Fuji felt light headed as he was tipped back, the hand on his spine was strong and supportive. He looked up into hazelnut eyes, his smile growing with amusement as he noticed their seriousness, as if his suitor was absolutely focused on performing his role with perfect technical correctness.

In only a second, he was brought back up, and the next part of the dance called them to step much closer, leaving them barely an inch between them as they stepped to the side, then back, then again to the side, before stepping forward to complete the square. Fuji’s nervousness was gone. He had to admit, this was fun. There was something familiar about his dark clad savior, maybe because he reminded him of Sanada, and the youth felt a pang of disappointment when the song came to its end.

The man led him to the side, slowly, helping him take small steps in his heels. Though his grip on Fuji’s hand was light and reserved, he walked with measured confidence, as he lead them through the crowd, towards an open archway that Fuji could see led outside. He was feeling a little bit giddy after their dance, and he wasn’t even thinking about where he was being guided, until one of the guests that they passed waved to them.

“Taking an early leave?” The masquerader smiled past his silver mask. “Well, have a good night then, Tezuka.”

Fuji felt his blood run cold.

The grip on his hand changed to a grip on his wrist. Fuji paled as he looked up at the black masked man, who was not looking at him but nodding farewell to the masquerader, but kept a tight grip on the hunter’s wrist. Not that Fuji could have gone anywhere - suddenly running from a party full of vampires would have been the most stupid attention gaining action of the night, not that he hadn’t already done many. 

The man - _Tezuka Kunimitsu, the great leader of the rebellion_ \- half dragged him out through the archway. It was like he knew, now that his identity was exposed, that Fuji had every reason to resist. 

They exited out into the night. Fuji took a deep breadth of the chilly air, stumbling out onto the stone path. They were walking through a garden, that seemed to encircle the area behind the palace. Shadowed by darkness, the rising flowers and bushes hid their colors, faint silhouettes of thin, delicate trees planted in careful arrangement. The music from the hall quickly faded from their ears, and Fuji didn’t dare glance back, praying silently that the light from the archway would still be there if he did.

They stopped at a circular intersection of pathways. Fuji’s eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, and the moonlight was enough to illuminate the many rose bushes that lined this portion of the garden. He could faintly smell their passion, as Tezuka turned to face him and took hold of both of his wrists. His black mask and suite blended well into the night, but Fuji still saw his serious hazel orbs, with an unreadable yet somehow calming emotion swirling within them. His lips were clenched thin, no sign of lust or thirst, and if it weren’t for the hands capturing the youth’s wrists, Fuji felt he wouldn’t have been afraid at all.

This wasn’t over, he reminded himself. He decided to take a gamble, tentatively opened his mouth and breathed, “.... Tezuka-sama... have I displeased you?”

For a moment, he wasn’t sure the stoic brunette would even respond; the vampire stood so still and silent. Finally, Tezuka placed two fingers beneath his chin, tilting it up and for several long minutes, examining his face. Fuji’s breath caught in his throat, as those serious hazel eyes looked carefully at each of his features, before finally resting on his cerulean orbs, leaving their eyes locked on each other.

Slowly, Tezuka’s hand drifted through his honey brown locks, combing through the hair on the back of his head. Fuji realized his mask being untied; the jeweled porcelain fell swiftly with a light clatter onto the stone. 

“There’s no need for games.” Tezuka’s deep voice rumbled through his gut, which was slowly sinking down his chest. “I don’t know why they sent you here, but it’s clear to me you have no idea what position you’re in.”

His heart began to race so loudly he was sure it would soon burst from his chest. He couldn’t even reflect on how he’d been found out; his terror was too great as Tezuka wrapped his arms behind the youth’s back, drawing him close. The vampire’s grip grew crushingly painful against his ribs, and Fuji futilely tried to push him back with his arms, as Tezuka’s lips descended closely to his neck. Even Fuji could hear his own pulse, so loud that he almost didn’t hear the vampire’s whisper into his ear.

“You have no idea what it would feel like,” Tezuka’s voice dripped against his skin, vibrating against his throat. “Surrounded by vampires, taken by them in every way. You’ve never heard the screams of their victims, the cries for mercy that are ignored without pity.” With every word he spoke, his fingers dug further into Fuji’s skin, feeling as if any moment they would tear him apart. “They would suck you slowly from every place, pleasure you gently until you give in and beg, then devour you with all that makes them men, before finishing you with all that makes them vampires.”

Fuji lost the ability to scream, the ability to breath, and he almost thought he would be crushed... until he was suddenly dropped, without warning, onto the stone. 

“No matter what family you’re from, you shouldn’t be involved with us.”

The black cape fluttered in the night time wind, as Tezuka swiftly turned and steadily strode away, leaving Fuji bruised and aching on the ground. The hunter pushed himself up, biting his lip to hold back the whimpers, but he couldn’t stop the droplets that fell from his eyes onto the stone. 

He ran.

It wasn’t long before he had to stop to take off his shoes. He could hardly pull off the straps around his ankles, his fingers were trembling so hard.

He didn’t know why he carried them with him. He just felt like he didn’t want to leave any more of himself behind. Already he felt the cold air fringe against his lashes, reminding him of the cerulean mask, left behind on the stone walkway, a lingering testament of what had happened there. 

The garden was gone. The palace, too. He had stumbled into the forest, dense with trees and brush, and he could feel the branches catching on the sheer blue fabric of his dress, tearing and dirtying it, until finally he tripped on root and fell, covering the rest of him with moss and mud. 

It was only his pride that forced him to pull himself up. He didn’t know how he had any left, really, and again he missed the mask, grateful now to his solitude that no one was there to see his tears. Already he could hear the mocking, from his own sense of worth, mocking his foolishness, from the moment he put on the dress. He degraded himself from the beginning, and perhaps he deserved to be this low. He knew with certainty that he had failed, and he only felt more sick as he realized he didn’t even truly understand what he had failed at, his mission unclear to him in retrospect. What had been the point, when he was recognized so easily, yet could recognize nobody?

He thought about the elders, as he trudged along barefooted, praying not to step on anything too horrible. He let his curiosity carry him on, determined to get out of this mud hole and confront the council. He had a terrible feeling that they would be angry with him, but now he wasn’t even sure why - they must have had more of a plan, when they told him his mission was to infiltrate the enemy, and hadn’t it been strange, he realized, that the elders had issued his orders directly, rather than involving his commander? He didn’t even know if Sanada had been briefed about what his team member had been directed to do.

These thoughts helped hold him above wallowing in self misery, though they weren’t helping him find his way out of the forest. He couldn’t remember any way to access the palace other than crossing the river, and he knew the forest beyond must stretch for thousands of acres or more. His heart began to pound as he realized he might have to return to the dock; he had no idea if some enemy would be waiting for him, though his terrible state of inelegance would draw plenty of unwanted attention on its own. At least, he reasoned, he still had his shoes, a thought that led him to chuckle.

“Whatever happened, it can’t be that bad if you’re laughing.”

Fuji froze, his eyes darting about for the speaker, coming to rest on a dark suited man that matched the deep voice he’d heard. Golden brown eyes looked questioningly into his, though the man stayed otherwise nonchalant, leaned against a tree as he blew out smoke around a cigarette. Fuji realized now that he’d been unconsciously following the smell of cigarette smoke, along with the faint lapping of the river, which passed by in front of him and the man.

The man kept looking at him, though he didn’t seem terribly concerned, but he was obviously waiting for Fuji to say something. The hunter wracked his brain for any sort of recognition - short golden brown hair that curled wherever it grew long, a long, narrow nose and a sharp chin - a young face with old eyes, those slight wrinkles around the rim of his eyes a tell tale sign of an old vampire, but he wasn’t familiar in the slightest. 

“. . . Are you... here for the masquerade?” Fuji said slowly, trying to gauge this newest predicament. The man clearly wasn’t alarmed, nor was anything about him alarming, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous.

“I was invited,” the man shrugged, pausing to inhale more nicotine. “But no, I don’t plan to go.”

_But you came all the way here._ Fuji kept his thought to himself. The man wasn’t lying - though he was nicely dressed, his modern, professional suite wouldn’t have fit in with the party goers.

“I thought I might catch a glimpse of a friend,” the man answered anyway, the question being obvious. “But it’s wishful thinking. A silly indulgence... you know how it is.”

He didn’t, but that too he kept to himself. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of hope - this man did not seem involved with the masquerade, which mean he wasn’t apart of the rebellion. 

“I want to leave,” Fuji said carefully, “but I had a little falling out with my date.”

“Obviously.” The man glanced down at the youth’s bare feet, his eyes scanning the torn skirt and muddied shall. He took one last breathe of his cigarette before tossing it to the floor, stamped it out under his heel and burying it in the mud. “I’ll take you across in my boat.”

Fuji could barely hold back his flood of relief as he whispered, “Thank you.”

He stepped cautiously into the small rowboat, sitting as ladylike as he could on the bench, and tucking his shoes beneath it. The suited man stepped in after him, and candidly took up the oars, rowing with slow, quiet strokes. 

They sat silently at first, until Fuji finally opened his lips, only to close them, thinking better than to push his luck. 

“Sakaki,” the man stated, leaving Fuji to look up at him in question. “My name. You were about to ask.”

_I wanted to, but I was afraid if I did you’d ask for mine,_ Fuji thought, biting the inside of his cheek. He averted his eyes toward the water, hoping his silence would be enough to avert the coming question.

Apparently it was. Or, Fuji suspected, the man understood the young masquerader didn’t want to share. He kept his eyes focused on the reflection of the moon, which rippled with each stroke the boat oars made, gently restoring itself a moment after, only to be disturbed again in the continued cycle.

“You remind me of a lady I used to know,” the man, Sakaki, said, breaking the silence with his quiet, baritone voice. “She was much younger than me, but you'd never know it with the way she talked.” He seemed lost in memories for a moment, rowing several more strokes before he continued. “Sometimes she spoke as though she were ancient, and maybe in a way she was. Well,” he smirked, just barely, the most change in facial expression Fuji had yet to see him make. “I suppose you don't remind me of her in that way. But you look quite a bit like her.”

The rest of the ride was silent. Fuji kept his knees tucked below his hands, and he felt the urge to curl up like a ball and bury his face in his skirt, but he still had enough pride to stay calm before a stranger. 

Sakaki pulled the boat up against the shore, still far downstream of the dock, much to Fuji’s relief. He carefully took one of the man’s hands in both of his own, shaking it slightly and bowing at the same time. “Thank you, sir,” he uttered softly, his gaze down turned to hide the relieved glimmer in his eyes. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” _Probably my life,_ he added in his head.

Shaking his head, Sakaki warmly returned the handshake. “You have thanked enough with your presence. It was nice, being remind of her... She died young, so I don’t recommend you follow in her footsteps. Do take care of yourself - the main road is over there; there are taxis idling for the masqueraders.”

Nodding one final farewell, Fuji headed in the direction the man had indicated, up the river bank and towards the lights of awaiting cars. He glanced back only once, and could see Sakaki still standing there by the boat, the tiny light of a new cigarette glowing in his hand. 

He gave the taxi driver his necklace as payment. It was all he had. Thankfully the man’s eyes lit up at the site of the many strands of pearls, which he confirmed with his teeth were real. It was enough to get Fuji back to his suite at the hotel.

He was relieved to not see Kite anywhere. He didn’t want to think of where the clan leader might be, or what he might be thinking right then. Fuji pressed the elevator buttons many times, then almost ran into his room, collapsing onto his bed, far too exhausted to change at that point. Everything in his body hurt - he was bruised in more ways than one, and he was so emotionally overwhelmed from everything that had happened that he passed out still in his dress, after soaking his pillow with tears.

He just wanted to go home.

* * *

Everything had going well, too well even. Fuji had effortlessly captured the attention of the two most important figures at the masquerade - Kite had felt lucky when Atobe made his own approach, but the Higa clan head had not expected to catch the aloof brother as well. For Atobe, all Kite had to do was make Fuji a little hard to get, and the temptation sirened in the egotistical vampire. But for Tezuka to enter the scene... and even drift away with the disguised hunter...

But where had things gone wrong? Perhaps the elders' decision was wrong, and Fuji should have been fully informed as to his mission. But already the mission was unofficial, secret from those who would oppose it, and the teenager would have truly been a loyal idiot to accept it after knowing its full intent.

Still, Fuji shouldn't have been in a position to escape. It completely went beyond Kite's calculations. He'd thought that stranding the sixteen year old in a secluded palace, trapped by a river on one side and an endless forest on the other, would have been enough.

At least his position as a double spy had not been compromised, or so he could only hope.

The elders would be displeased.

* * *

Genichirou was pissed.

Fuji sat on the couch in his commander’s office, hunched down and holding his arms as his childhood friend paced back and forth. 

“I don’t believe this!” Genichirou growled, slamming his fist on the desk with a bang hard enough to make his pen case jump. “They sent you on this kind of stupid mission... and they didn’t tell me! Of course they didn’t tell me, they knew I would have stopped it,” he added with a grumble. 

“Maybe... maybe I should have asked more questions, so that I understood the orders better,” Fuji whispered, unable to keep his voice from trembling. He had made Genichirou angry many times throughout their lives, but never seen him like this.

“Don’t you dare try to take the blame!” The lieutenant roared at him, making him shrink into the cushions. “This is the kind of crap they always pull. They’re so... manipulative.” He banged against the desk again, as if it would make him feel better. “Even though we’re all on the same side!” 

“But maybe the Council was right. I mean,” Fuji’s grip on his arm tightened until the skin turned white. “What’s the use of having this blood... this, this power to curse, if our enemies don’t... don’t try it.”

“Do you really think this was the way to use it?!” 

“No!” Fuji sobbed. “I thought about it.” He buried his face in his hands. “I keep trying to imagine what it would have been like, if...if the mission succeeded... if... _they_ drank from me... and ... I keep thinking, of course, I could bare the pain, I would complete the mission, but I don't really know, since I've never even felt anything like that..." He tugged his hair with his fingers, trying to stop himself from shaking. "You...you were right, I didn't know how hard this all would be... even though I thought I was prepared."

“There’s no glory in being a hunter, Syuusuke.” Genichirou’s voice still rumbled, but his anger dissipated at the sight of his friend’s trembling. “We’re protectors, but sometimes, the Council becomes so focused on winning this war that they forget what our true purpose is.”

He had to end his tirade, seeing how upset his subordinate was. For the past year, from the day Fuji had finally donned the cloth of an official hunter, the blue eyed youth had been a constant source of irritation, always going out of his way to cause Genichirou trouble, just as he had done since they were children. The lieutenant commander had thought that things would be better, being ranked higher, but Fuji never let such trivial things as titles stop him. When Genichirou planned to slowly wean him into the missions, thinking the petite hunter needed some experience before facing too great of battles, Fuji had still plunged in, practically getting in the way in his showcase of skill. 

Unfortunately, until now, he’d done nothing but prove his nickname of tensai, handling every mystery and battle with ease. Genichirou was used to seeing that annoying little closed lipped smile, the scrunched up eyes that seemed to say, ‘Ha, I proved myself again, and you know it.’ Fuji had carried a chip on his shoulder ever since, thanks to his own parents’ influence, he was denied admittance into the organization for a number of years after Genichirou. 

Still, other than the occasional pout, Genichirou had never seen the brunette down. Not even when his little brother hit him, or yelled at him, telling him he hated him - he would just stand there with this smile that said, ‘Yes, it hurts, but I’m dealing with it just fine on my own, so leave me alone.’ Other than Yuuta, Fuji dealt so well with everything, he just never had bad days, and Genichirou realized he had never before seen him cry.

But with his trembling shoulders, the tiny whimpers he made into his hands that held his face, his current state was obvious. Genichirou’s own heart felt like a sinking stone, and he didn’t know what to do. Finally he went over to the couch, placed his hands on Fuji’s head and shoulders and drew him into a stiff, awkward hug.

They stayed like that until Fuji finally grew quiet. Genichirou had the funny feeling that he was somehow being played with, since that was the Syuusuke he knew. But he guessed it was an okay moment; they were both calm, now, at least, and the fact was, the incident had ended more or less okay. Now the important part was the clean up.

“Syuusuke,” he kept his voice level and as professional as he could. “The Council briefed me as to the full extent of your mission, but not on its outcome.” He gulped, hoping this was alright. He was not very good with people, which was why he liked his team - Niou and Yagyuu were the antithesis of sensitivity. “You have to tell me how you escaped. I’ll write up the report to the elders. We’ll tell them what we want to - I’m not going to let them hurt you over this.”

Sanada thought he heard Fuji sniff, then felt him nod against his chest. When his friend finally pulled up his head to mutter out his story, he refused to meet Sanada's eyes. 

For the most part, it just sounded like Kite being a slime ball - he'd done exactly as the elders' instructed. Introduced Fuji, who'd been told basically nothing, to the high ups at the party, and then slipped out once it looked like the teenager was well on his way to the twins' after party, without a word. The Council believed that the vampires would not kill Fuji; so confident were they in the power of his cursed blood, that they were sure that once whatever vampires' hands Fuji fell into had a taste, they would become under his control. 

The problem came once Fuji reached the part of his story where everything had gone wrong. From Kite's point of view, Fuji had inexplicably disappeared into the garden with Tezuka, and only Tezuka had come back; the masquerade had continued on into the night, with none of the partiers showing any signs that they’d noticed a disturbance. Atobe had given his brother one questioning glance, but the stoic brunette hardly even acknowledged him, sitting out the rest of the party in a corner by himself, as he always did. Kite had felt he’d best take his leave at that point, abandoning a sixteen year old boy to whatever fate would befall him.

But from Fuji’s story, Tezuka had clearly recognized him - whether from his face, which did seem characteristic of the Fuji line, or some other giveaway, maybe even from Kite. Neither of course was of concern to the elders. Fuji being caught as a spy for the hunters fit well into their plan, since it was unlikely with his visage he would simply be executed. The allure of Fuji’s blood seemed to extend to his very countenance... it’d been tested, when he’d been younger, and it seemed his very aura was desirable to vampires. The teenager would modestly deny it, but he was far more tantalizing than even true blood vampires.

Which only made his release in the garden all the more strange. 

“I don’t know why he let me go,” Fuji shuddered, his forehead creasing with confusion. “He said all these things to me... I really don’t understand what happened. … I mean I, I didn’t know I was _supposed_ to stay, so I ran...”

“You made the right decision.” Sanada ground his teeth together, feeling his anger come back. He hated what the elders had done, and he hated more how Fuji was so eager to please them, the teenager felt guilt over his failure to do so. _He needs to care more about himself,_ Sanada determined, and made it a goal to teach his subordinate how to set his priorities. 

“Tezuka Kunimitsu...” Sanada leaned back against the couch, clenching his knee with his hand. “Hey, did I ever tell you that - …” He stopped midsentence, as a thought suddenly occurred to him. Slapping his forehead, he groaned with the realization, hunching over and setting his elbows on his knees.

“Tell me what?” Fuji looked at him with red rimmed eyes, which didn’t make Sanada feel any better about what he had to say.

“Of course Tezuka knew what you look like,” the coal haired hunter groaned. “He’s seen you before. I, um, a long time ago, we must have been like five or six, we were playing on the beach, and I saw this man watching us... and I remember thinking, when we learned about the twins during our history lessons, that he had the same face as Tezuka. No, I’m positive it was him. I remember he had that one expression, that frown he’s always drawn with.”

Sanada looked over to see what his companion was thinking, and was surprised to see Fuji looking back, with a look of pure shock frozen on his face.

“Genichirou...” Fuji stuttered, his lips moving at a minimum, the rest of him frozen in place. “I knew there was someone watching us on the beach that day... I’ve felt his presence many times. He’s been watching me for years.”

* * *

They wrote several drafts of their report to the elders. They burned everything but the final version, which said that Tezuka had taken Fuji out to the garden, tried to feed from him, but Fuji had managed to get away by pretending he was a weak young girl, then fleeing when least expected. It wasn’t much of a story, but the Council was too busy with their own internal conflict to peer too closely at the details. Some had not been informed of the mission, including Fuji’s parents, and were as infuriated as Sanada. Even those who had known were bickering amongst themselves, heatedly debating about whether or not Fuji should have been briefed so that, at the opportune moment, he hadn’t run away. And of course, there were those who were already plotting how to try again.

Fuji stepped out of it all with a deeper understanding of the organization he was working for. He learned, between this incident and many more, who to be weary of, and that the smiling mask he’d fixed on his face as a child, was just as useful for self protection as an adult. 

It wasn’t long before he was fully enveloped in his work, kept constantly busy by the cases, distracted by training and rogue vampires and dealing with the elders and his family, and soon he forgot about Tezuka Kunimitsu, never did he try to understand what had happened that night at the masquerade, or think about the presence he’d often felt watching him growing up.

He was no longer a child. He was a full fledged hunter, and he had work to do.

* * *

Tezuka watched from afar, hidden at the edge of the grounds behind a small building that probably contained preparation rooms. Yuuta had been practicing archery by himself for hours out in the open space, and finally Syuusuke arrived, slipping into the empty galleries to quietly watch.

An arrow streaked towards the target, just barely missing the edge of the black center. Yuuta’s brow furled with frustration at his miss, drawing an endearing smile out from Syuusuke, who leaned over his knees and cupped his chin on his hands. 

Tezuka had been watching the brothers for so long, he could interpret their expressions. Syuusuke thought his brother was cute; Yuuta thought Syuusuke’s smile was condescending. It was a strange feeling, Tezuka thought, as he watched Syuusuke skip down the benches and over to his brother. The century old vampire had been watching the two for so long, watching them grow up, that he felt like he knew them. 

He was aware that Syuusuke had always noticed him watching, but the cerulean eyed youth had not known _who_ was watching him, had never caught a glimpse of him. This he’d confirmed, after all, at the masquerade, when Syuusuke had failed to recognize him until he was called out - the teen only knew him from his history lessons, and the portraits that Tezuka knew the organization kept of him.

If Syuusuke had known who was watching him, surely the brothers would have sought protection. Instead, the times Syuusuke did notice, he would glance around, trying not to be obvious about it (and to anyone other than Tezuka, he wouldn’t have been), and if he had some idea of his observer’s location, give a little nod of acknowledgement. Perhaps he thought he had some sort of admirer, or that the watcher was from the organization, set out for his protection or just to keep track of him. 

Since the masquerade, though, Syuusuke had been far more on guard, and Tezuka wondered if the hunter was finally starting to catch on. Tezuka was more careful, though, he had not let Syuusuke notice him for years now, having learned better to conceal his presence. Syuusuke seemed to have some sort of strange sixth sense for conscious energies, so Tezuka found that if he brought his down to a bare minimum, the hunter wouldn’t notice him.

Tezuka enjoyed (not that he would ever admit it to himself) watching Syuusuke help his brother with his form. Yuuta was trying to be more mature and contain his annoyance, letting his brother position his arms, tilt his body just a bit more forward, change how he bent his knees... Yuuta let off an arrow, and this time, it hit home. Syuusuke applauded with a happy cheer, then practically jumped his brother into a suffocating hug.

He loved his little brother too much, Tezuka thought. 

Yuuta pushed his brother away, more irritated than ever. “I told you I don’t need your help. Leave me alone,” Yuuta snarled, throwing the practice bow onto the ground and stomping away.

Syuusuke seemed immune to the rebuke, and just looked happily at his brother until he was out of sight. Then he skipped towards the target, grabbing at the arrow in the bullseye, no doubt to take it home with him and keep it as a little treasure, as he’d often done with things related to Yuuta over the years.

Tezuka wondering if Syuusuke had kept any of his clothes from the masquerade, an image of the young hunter in his shimmering silver gown flashing before his eyes. He turned away, deciding to ignore the older brother, and followed after the younger one. 

He had watched long enough. Syuusuke was already eighteen. He had marched quickly to the top of the organization, one promotion away from lieutenant commander, and Tezuka’s spies had told him it was only a matter of putting together a group for the elite hunter to lead. 

Syuusuke was talented. Syuusuke was powerful. And there were rumors that Syuusuke had inherited some of the Fuji clan’s greatest secrets, their most treasured skills.

Syuusuke was dangerous.

Tezuka was ready, now, to take this game to the next level. He’d made all the preparations in advance, even told his brother what he was planning to do, though Atobe didn’t know the real reason. This was just another step in their war against the organization, Tezuka had assured his twin.

He found Yuuta on a bench, overlooking the lake that marked the training ground’s edge. The teenager was seething, but Tezuka knew it was anger he held towards himself, disappointed that he hadn’t figured it out by himself, that Syuusuke really had helped him.

“Your brother really loves you,” Tezuka said. It was the first time he’d ever spoken to Yuuta, but it felt comfortable, talking to one of the boys he’d always watched.

“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” Yuuta muttered, turning his head to see who was approaching. “Wait, who are you again?” The boy’s eyes narrowed. “You look kind of familiar, but I can’t remember what team you’re in.”

Tezuka’s lips twitched, just enough to ghost his lips into a smile. “Your brother loves you too much.” His next steps were swift, and he towered over the bench, his body and neck arched so that his eyes peered straight down into Yuuta’s widening brown ones. “Loving anyone that much is dangerous.”

* * *

They’d searched for hours. Combed the headquarters. Combed the training grounds. Combed the forests around the grounds, which were hundreds of acres, and they had even started on the mountains.

But Yuuta was nowhere to be found.

Finally, one of the students approached Syuusuke, trembling as he handed him a note they found on a bench by the lake, not too far from the archery range.

It read,

_We will keep him alive_

_for now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many beautiful drawings inspired this chapter especially:
> 
> ["Syuusuke Age 6"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-001SyuusukeAge6_zps96e6e58e.jpg)
> 
> ["Children" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-002Children1_zps13cf6026.jpg)
> 
> ["Children" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-003Children2_zpsb0bc208a.jpg)
> 
> ["Masquerade" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-004Masquerade1_zpse38fe736.jpg)
> 
> ["Masquerade" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-0045Masquerad15_zps376e66d2.jpg)
> 
> ["Masquerade" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-005Masquerade2_zpsfd1d28bf.jpg)
> 
> ["Masquerade" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-006Masquerade3_zpsc749e49e.jpg)
> 
> ["Masquerade" Page 5](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-007Masquerade4_zps35e6ac50.jpg)
> 
> [Masquerade Palace Layout](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/03-008MasqueradePalace_zpsa8f9e2b9.jpg)
> 
> Again, some details *coughcharacters* changed as the story developed. (So Kite doesn't look like Kite, please just pretend that's him.)


	4. Capture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuta's kidnapping isn't something Syuusuke could just let go... no matter who is responsible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuh so I wrote this extra long monster of a chapter over like a four year period... there are lots of holes in the details. Please ignore them.

He was there again.

This was the fourth time, Tezuka thought with a sigh, that Syuusuke had found him, and this time he hadn’t been out to spy on the lithe hunter. He’d had to give that pastime up, after the last time when the teen had gotten close enough to throw a knife at him. 

Of course the hunter was angry. His little brother had been kidnapped, and Tezuka knew from his spies that the elders didn’t put enough value in Yuuta, who seemed to be lacking in special abilities, to try and rescue or negotiate for him. The tension between the organization and the rebellious clans was high enough; the Council knew they weren’t ready for a war. The hunters were still smarting from the last one, though it’d been over a century ago - they’d lost so much, and the number of allies revolving round the twins had only grown.

And now they had the Fuji family’s youngest as their hostage, plucked right off their headquarters’ very own training grounds.

But that was all the more reason for Syuusuke not to be doing what he was doing. It was silly, from the vampire’s point of view; whole combinations of teams had been sent after him or his brother on and off in the past, and now one little hunter had made it his personal mission to hunt the great Tezuka Kunimitsu. 

There was no way this had been sanctioned by the Council. Syuusuke was taking so many risks, and he really seemed to have no idea that Tezuka could have snapped his neck in an instant and ended it, if he really wanted to. The vampire had thought about humoring his pursuer, which really just meant ignoring him; but now Syuusuke had managed to find him as he was out to feed, and that feat in itself was alarming enough to be a problem.

Tezuka was hungry; despite his alliance with all the clans that believed they could pick whatever food wherever they wanted, he privately committed himself to a series of rules like those the organization enforced, which meant finding a consenting being and having a short, careful feeding. He didn’t want to wait any longer for his next meal; he was already starting to feel the effects of vampiric hunger.

It was most likely those effects that threw him off enough that he didn’t realize how close the honey haired hunter had gotten to him. He effortlessly dodged the knife that flew past his nose, lifting his bangs with a gust of wind before embedding itself in the wall behind him. He shouldn’t have gone into the alley, he realized; Syuusuke was confident the shadows of the walled in street would hide a battle from the public eye.

The hunter was faster than he realized, and suddenly Tezuka had to defend, lifting his own blade up from his side to block the one crashing down on him. Syuusuke was smart enough not to get caught in a battle of strength, and jumped back a few steps, only to dash forward and throw a flurry of swings. Tezuka blocked every one, but he was astonished by the human’s speed and variation. The child he had always watched had truly grown up - Syuusuke could _fight_.

_But not well enough._

He used the narrow alley to his advantage, catching Syuusuke’s blade with his own and knocking it against the wall, using his vampiric strength to pin it there while he threw his body into a half turn and kicked the hunter in the gut. 

Instantly Syuusuke’s grip on his sword disappeared, and he staggered back against the wall, holding his stomach and collapsing against it. With the wind fully knocked out of him, he could hardly move as Tezuka swept forward and pinned him against the wall, locking him face down against it. 

Syuusuke didn’t struggle, knowing he couldn’t win, and Tezuka could see angry tears well up in the cerulean eye that was visible to him. He could hear the youth’s heartbeat, pounding loudly in his thirst heightened ears, but it wasn’t nearly as rapid as what the vampire remembered from their confrontation at the masquerade. Syuusuke wasn’t afraid of him, he realized, or maybe Syuusuke wasn’t afraid for himself. 

The heart kept pounding, and neither of them spoke. They’d only been this close that one moment during the masquerade, and Tezuka found himself pressing more than was necessary to keep the hunter held firm against the wall. He’d never known that a human heartbeat could be so loud... he felt like it was pounding in his ears, and every one of his senses was awakened by it, like he could smell Syuusuke’s pulse, along with the soft scent of oranges from his hair, like he could taste it on his tongue, and he mindlessly leaned in his head, close enough to lick the exposed skin of his captive’s neck, right where the pulse was, and then he could feel it, right below his lips, which pressed against the spot as if it were precious.

He did not think about how Syuusuke relaxed in his arms, even before his teeth elongated and pierced into that spot. The teen let out a tiny gasp, as his vein was punctured, and Tezuka began to drink the literal life from it, measured and slowly, his hazel eyes disappearing behind closed lids as he savored it, the taste so much sweeter than anything in his life he had ever had, as a vampire or as a human, so much more delicate and refined than...

He jerked away, gripping Fuji’s shoulders and pushing him hard against the wall before he drew a few steps back. The hunter slid down to his knees, his head still turned sideways, one cerulean eye gleaming at him, there was very little expression on the teenager’s face but his emotions were clear.

He knew...he’d planned...Syuusuke had _wanted_...Syuusuke had won...

Tezuka could still taste it, on his lips, on his tongue, and he could hear Yumiko’s voice ringing in his head, could picture her smile in his mind as once more her prophecies came to fruition. 

“Stop hunting me,” he snarled. But while an outsider would have seen this as a warning, from a vampire far superior in strength, who had just easily won a battle over the other, to a weak, defenseless hunter who couldn’t even stand after his defeat, Tezuka knew this was not a demand of the victor. 

Tezuka fled into the night.

* * *

It didn’t work.

Fuji didn’t know why it didn’t work. They’d run tests, when he was a child... fed his blood to low level vampires that were scheduled to be executed anyway... he’d re-watched the videos to confirm his memories, how those vampires had begged, pleaded, pledged anything, everything, swore they would do anything to have him as a feeding partner, right to the very minute where they were served their end. They had been so weak, though, and maybe that was the problem. Maybe Tezuka was just too strong, too powerful as a true blood vampire, or maybe Fuji was at fault, because he didn’t really understand his own ability, didn’t really know how to command those who were supposedly cursed after drinking his blood.

He’d tried everything he could think of. He’d consulted other hunters who were vampires, asked what it was like for them to control their offspring. They all said there was something like a connection, telepathic or something along those lines, so the ones they turned always knew what they wanted. There was an innate loyalty between a vampire and the one who made him, that they said you had to feel to understand. 

Fuji was sure he had no such feeling with Tezuka, no such connection. He’d tried thinking in his mind of an order... tried calling, both with his will and physically out loud, but he hadn’t felt any sort of result, only foolish.

He had gambled on this, and now he didn’t know what to do, except to keep hunting after Tezuka. He knew, he just knew that hazel eyed vampire was the one to kidnap Yuuta... at least, the criminal had to be one of the twins, the Council agreed on that, but Fuji suspected Tezuka specifically because he knew that the bespectacled vampire had been watching them for all that time. He remembered how he thought he’d felt Tezuka had been spying on them on that day too, but he couldn’t really sense the vampire, had second guessed himself... no, really, he’d ignored it, because Tezuka had spied on them so many times before, and had always left them alone, and had even helped Fuji escape at the masquerade...

He’d _trusted _him.__

It was so, so stupid in retrospect. Tezuka was their great enemy, had been their family’s enemy for over a hundred years. Fuji didn’t know why the vampire’s presence had never been alarming, as the vampires he’d hunted were. The fact was, it was his fault that his little brother had been captured, and he didn’t give a damn that he’d been ordered not to, warned by Sanada, the Council, even Tezuka himself... he wouldn’t give up.

There was one change, he’d begun to notice, that he hoped was some effect from the cursed blood. Tezuka’s feeding habits had changed. Not just changed... they were no longer the minimalistic, sporadic feedings from before. Tezuka had a pattern now, one that Fuji could follow - he fed often, almost regularly, much more than vampires usually did. In truth, a vampire needed very little blood to live and maintain his strength... they actually drank relatively slowly, less than a glass of water over several months, which was how most of those in the organization were able to establish a feeding partner, usually a lover, who alone could sustain them for several years. Tezuka, like all of the rebels, rarely returned to the same victim, but at least he left them alive, and whenever Fuji was able to get one to talk to him, they always seemed to have enjoyed the experience, and it was clear it was consensual and never sexual.

In fact, the more Fuji investigated, the more he learned that Tezuka was the complete opposite of what the rebels were known for... he never killed his victims, never drank more than he needed, and was utterly respectful, the way the organization moderated vampires to be. Comparing Tezuka’s habits to the rules set by the organization, the only one he really broke was how he fed from the neck, but that was the most minor violation. It made Fuji wonder, if it weren’t for the Vampire war and the history of the Yukimura family, if Tezuka would have been a part of the rebellion at all.

_Stop thinking like that,_ he ordered himself. He couldn’t let himself feel empathetic towards the enemy, not again. _He took Yuuta. He’s hurting my baby brother. I hate him._

He slipped around the corner, down the space only a few feet wide between two houses. This was a difficult area to search; the suburb was formed of a dense cluster of homes, pinned between the industrial centers that spared them from the full on bustle of the city, and one of the many forests that encompassed this side of the country. 

But Tezuka was there, Fuji could feel it.

He didn’t know how, but he would defeat Tezuka no matter what.

He would save his little brother.

* * *

Atobe stared at the front double doors, the left of which had closed just as he’d stepped into the entry room. 

“Is your master going to feed again?” He drawled, looking towards the snake charmer that sat on one of the many couches, staring out the window with a blank expression on his face. 

“Yes,” the underling hissed, without shifting his eyes at all. Atobe couldn’t remember his name, not that he cared, since the black haired vampire was just one of Tezuka’s two plebeian underlings.

“Hmm.” Atobe pressed two fingers against his forehead, a gesture that helped him concentrate. “And it doesn’t bother you at all that Tezuka has gone from barely remembering to feed every six months, to going out once a week?”

“No.”

Atobe tapped his foot, waiting for more. When the pea brained vampire said nothing, Atobe intentionally cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence with a load, “Ah-hem.”

“I’m just performing guard duties.”

“Whatever,” Atobe sniffed. In a hundred years, the hunters had never found this place - he didn’t expect them to suddenly lose their idiocy now. “I’m rather hungry myself, so I too shall be going out for a meal.”

The beady eyed vampire didn’t respond, not that it mattered, so Atobe let himself out.

Of course, he wasn’t hungry at all - he had something better to track than a pretty face for dinner, his curiosity piped to its zenith. He just hadn’t wanted the lackey with that unfashionable bandanna to alert his master of his brother’s interest. Atobe liked watching his twin in situ - it was the divertissement he still enjoyed, for even after so many decades, Tezuka still remained the primary object of his fascination.

The brunette was headed towards one of the feeding grounds he’d been to before, so Atobe had no trouble following him. He kept a considerable amount of distance, to the point he frequently lost sight of the messy haired vampire, knowing that he’d be noticed if he got any closer. Not that he needed to; he knew where his brother was going. With his constant feeding, Tezuka no longer had the time to court a new human every time, so he was re-visiting that thirty-something policewoman from a few years back. 

It was a farce, the diva felt, since the bespectacled vampire didn’t even have sex with her, and merely kept in touch with a pointless, occasional letter. Atobe had, at least until recently, kept perfect track of everyone Tezuka had continued contact with, right down to his repeat feeds, which were almost as few as his offspring. Not that he didn’t give his brother _space_ , as he’d once so been accused; of course he didn’t follow his twin ninety-nine percent of the time, the silver haired vampire had plenty of his own things to do and take care of. He just didn’t want anyone to take advantage of his delectable little brother (even if he was only younger by ten minutes).

Said brother was making his way rather pointedly down the smaller streets in the neighborhood. In fact, Atobe realized after losing the brunette for the eighth time, Tezuka was not heading at all in the direction the diva remembered. At some point, the brunette had begun a very peculiar weaving pattern, and at first, Atobe thought he had been caught, and his brother was trying to lose him. 

That was when he noticed the human.

The young man was only a few houses in front of him, but so intent was the youthful human on his brother’s regal figure that he didn’t even notice the vampire standing well within his sight a few hundred feet away. The diva was not stupid - he immediately tucked himself into a corner, pressing his fingers to his forehead as he _observed_. 

The lithe human was definitely suspicious. He was obviously following Tezuka, hiding himself behind walls and the occasional tree, and he moved with enough dexterity that the diva determined he was a reasonably trained hunter, at least by the organization’s current standards. 

_He must think it’s his lucky day,_ Atobe mused, _Running into the legendary Tezuka Kunimitsu while out on patrol._

It was the silliest thing the diva had ever seen. Tezuka had taken on hoards of legendary hunters during the war; one puny little human - and god, that hunter was petite, it was a wonder the organization let him out to fight - didn’t stand a chance. 

But the longer Atobe watched, the more he began to think that there was more to this story than what met the eye. Tezuka was acting strange; he obviously noticed the honey brunette following him, but rather than turning around and snapping the pitiful thing’s neck, seemed to be leading the young hunter in circles. Even the hunter seemed to have noticed; he was looking rather frustrating, clenching both of his fists, and finally, he gave up hiding, stepping right out in the open, without even drawing his weapons, and staring straight at Tezuka to get his attention.

Now _this_ was interesting. Tezuka stopped as well, and to most people, the expression he had on his face when he turned was the same as always - a stoic frown, cold brown eyes. But Atobe knew every idiosyncrasy of his twin; Tezuka was angry. 

And... this hunter was somebody he _knew_.

The lithe hunter stormed forward, the slight shaking in his body giving away his (legitimate) fear, but clearly he was also angry. That, or foolishly reckless. He marched right up to Tezuka, stopping barely a foot away from him, his feet and arms slightly apart in a bold stance. 

Tezuka stayed right where he was, his cape flowing darkly around him.

“I warned you not to follow me,” he growled, his eyes narrow behind his glasses.

“You always followed me,” the young man replied, his tone far more clear and confident sounding than Atobe had expected. “It's just a little role reversal."

There was something familiar about that young, effeminate voice, that made Atobe certain he must have met this hunter before. He couldn’t remember where, but at the moment, that wasn’t nearly as important as the content of the conversation he was overhearing.

Not that Tezuka replied, keeping his lips tight as his frown deepened, creases forming around his eyes.

“Give me back Yuuta.” 

It was the most demanding tone that Atobe had ever heard used against his brother, and it was coming from that scrawny little brunette. It was like the young hunter that he could order the century old vampire around.

Tezuka said nothing, his silence an answer in itself. 

The hunter seemed almost taken aback, as if he’d expected something else, some other improbable outcome.

But instead of running, he very stupidly kept talking. “My brother has no power, no special ability. He's useless to you.” The youth was all out shaking now, and he couldn’t keep his fear out of his voice. He had admirable courage, at least.

_And now I know who he is,_ Atobe thought, his lips drawing into a thin line. He had known for decades about his brother’s persistence in monitoring the Fuji family, and after all that had happened with Fuji Yumiko, it seemed like a good idea. And capturing the family’s youngest, Fuji Yuuta, had seemed like a reasonable enough way to gain insurance against them. _But why isn’t Tezuka doing anything, when the Fuji clan’s latest prodigée is standing right in front of him?_ As if the familiar tone they took with each other wasn’t irritating enough. 

“That only makes him useless to your elders.” Tezuka finally answered, breaking his silence. “He's still useful to _me_ , because you …” The vampire stopped, leaving both the hunter and Atobe dangling on his last word.

But instead of finishing his sentence, the stone faced vampire turned away, this time his expression was truly unreadable, and continued on his way.

Atobe couldn’t believe it. Tezuka had just _walked away_. And Fuji Syuusuke, young heir rumored for his talent, was just standing there, small and weak and _ripe_ for taking. 

Atobe didn’t even need time to think, as he swept forward, and grasped Syuusuke from behind.

The hunter was too shocked to scream. Every muscle in his body tensed, but it was too late. Atobe had both of those ridiculously skinny wrists clenched tight in one hand, the other he clasped over the youth’s mouth, not wanting to bother with yelling or crying or any other incessant noise. 

This... this _child_ thought he could follow his brother around, make demands, and get away with it.

Atobe would thoroughly teach him otherwise.

“What are you doing here?” Tezuka had turned around, of course he had noticed what was going on, even though Atobe’s movement had been silent. Angry hazel eyes pierced into his dark silver ones, tacitly demanding an explanation.

“Oh, you know me, brother,” Atobe drawled, his lips turning up into a smirk. “Just failing to mind my own business. Oh, and cleaning up this little mess you’ve left standing here.”

“Don’t kill him.”

Atobe’s smirk instantly disappeared. Now _he_ was getting angry, too. And the foolish hunter was struggling against his grip, not that it meant anything against his inhuman strength, but it served to further his irritation. 

Tezuka’s gaze didn’t waver in the slightest. “Don’t kill him, and _don’t_ drink from him.”

Atobe did not like being ordered around by anyone. He made an exception, only an exception, for his brother.

That didn’t mean he could just let the little menace go free.

After all, Tezuka hadn’t asked him to let the hunter go.

* * *

“I will teach you a lesson, not to mess with us again,” Atobe sneered. Brown boots ruffled up the carpet, as he dragged the bound and blindfolded hunter like a sack of flour along the hall. 

“....Keigo,” Tezuka growled softly, having followed them the whole time. He didn’t try to stop his brother, oh no, he was wiser than to get between the diva and his prize. But his earlier words still stung in the silver haired vampire’s mind.

“What is it with you and this human,” Atobe snapped, slamming open the guest room door and practically throwing the lithe brunette onto the mattress. “You won’t let me kill him, nor turn him.”

The bespectacled brunette sealed his lips in a thin line, before looking away from his brother and the bedroom.

“... Never mind,” Atobe slowly drawled, watching his twin carefully. “I’ll make him wish he’d never been born.”

For all his strength as a hunter, Fuji’s struggles meant nothing to the long lived vampire. Atobe extended his claws, tearing apart the leather boots, cleaving the Fuji family’s sigil in two. Using one hand to choke the brat into submission, Atobe kept the other free to pull out his favored straps and gadgets from his toy chest at the end of the bed. Gasping for air, the child writhed meekly below him - yes, the hunter was a child, compared to the age the vampire himself had lived. A pathetic, miserable, powerless human who deserved no more attention than a good fuck and feeding, but Tezuka...

Why?! Why would his beloved twin care for such a thing? 

No... that couldn’t be it. Tezuka couldn’t care... not for anyone other than Atobe himself. Some other reason was the cause of his brother’s orders, some secret buried with this scrawny hunter. Even Atobe acknowledged that there was something different about this one, something to be weary of. 

He pressed the brunette face down into the poster bed’s scarlet comforter, vaguely wondering when in all his rage the hunter had stopped thrashing. He checked the boy’s neck for a pulse, snorting when he felt one, then slipped a black leather collar into its intended place. The child was coming to, struggling slightly, but that only made it more enjoyable for Atobe as he tied chords around the hunter’s forearms and wrists. The brunette’s arms were now twisted painfully behind his back, locked together and immobilizing his upper body. Depending on how he struggled, the boy could choke himself, and then Atobe would point out to Tezuka that it wasn’t his fault.

That probably wouldn’t work, the diva admitted to himself, but the thought was pleasant as he ran his fingers under the brunette’s collar, enjoying the soft flesh pulsing underneath. Then he drew his nails down his captive’s chest, snapping off buttons and exposing the youth’s pale skin down to his jeans.

Atobe drew back to stare at the hunter. He no longer felt the fury from before, just a thin irritation. This... this weak human meant nothing, not to him, not to Tezuka. 

“. . . What should I do with you?” He drawled, somewhat annoyed when he received no answer, from either the hunter or his twin. 

Fuji stayed quiet, perhaps trying to be strong, but his distress showed in the gleam of sweat across his flushed face, his shaded eyes that he struggled to keep open, and his marred brows that angled up along his wrinkled forehead. 

Was that it? Was it as simple as that? Atobe’s grimace twisted into a sly smile. He ran his hand up Fuji’s thigh, tearing up the jeans with his instantly sharpened nails as he went. Yes... this child was beautiful, that the vampire would admit, he’d have to be blind not to. Still, he had not expected his brother to fall for mere aesthetics. 

Fuji trembled as Atobe ran his hand along the brunette’s unveiled skin, scraps of fabric collecting messily on the comforter. The diva smirked as he fingered the human’s limp manhood, enjoying Fuji’s gasp as shades of red filled the hunter’s face. Atobe was slightly surprised at the human’s innocence - a son of the Fuji household would have been trained to withstand torture, but perhaps sex was left out of the curriculum. 

Settling down on the comforter, Atobe fit his hand under the boy’s thigh and pulling up his knee, forcing him to twist onto his stomach as the diva fit Fuji’s leg and lower torso nicely over his lap. It was cute how the hunter tried to pull his leg back, but his strength was incomparable to the diva’s. Well, Atobe always did like a little resistance.

Cracking apart pale butt cheeks, Atobe snorted with elation at what he discovered with a tap of his finger.

"Kunimitsu, dear brother, you really should come and see this."

* * *

Keeping his stony expression in place, Tezuka stepped towards the poster bed. His brother was complying with his request to keep Fuji alive and human, but Atobe had his limits, and Tezuka knew he would have to compromise at some level.

He swallowed his tingling emotions into his gut, as he watched Fuji's trembling, exposed butt pushed up into the air. Atobe had the hunter strewn out across his lap like a pet, rubbing the butt cheeks tenderly. 

"Isn't it cute?" Atobe smirked, as his index finger massaged around the rim of Fuji's tiny asshole. "It's so tight, so unresponsive -" He pushed in just slightly, not even enough to penetrate, but he managed to elicit the tiniest whimper from his captive. Fuji had been so silent up till then. "- definitely a virgin." 

The diva licked his lips, slowly, suggestively, his dark blue eyes piercing Tezuka's hazel ones. “You know I love being the first, but I was thinking, since you and this _child_ have such … _chemistry_ , I would let you have him first.”

Atobe grabbed Fuji’s hair, pull his head back far enough that Tezuka could see those bright, cerulean eyes. He was used to seeing Fuji’s piercing, confident gaze, not the fearful shaking of the hunter’s orbs now. 

Tezuka felt a surge through his chest, a racing desire, one that had been growing inside him ever since the masquerade, but that he’d kept locked away and under control. The thought that his brother had been the one to reduce the genius hunter to such a state, that his brother would be the one to destroy... and Tezuka _did_ know Atobe’s preferences, he _did_ know how the diva liked to do it, and Fuji would be lucky if he could even use his legs once the silver haired vampire was through with him.

No, it would not be better, letting Atobe be the one to... surely it would not be better... Tezuka didn’t even know when he’d crossed the room, bent down and scooped Fuji into his arms, away from his brother, and pushed the hunter on his back onto the bed. 

With one knee crunched up and the other leg trying to fold over his exposed privates, Fuji stretched out in a such a sensual way that Tezuka lost his breath. He couldn’t use lube - Atobe would read into that - so he pressed one finger into that tight, small hole, moving in slowly. 

Atobe was right, this would be the young hunter’s first time: His body didn’t know how to adjust. Tezuka pushed in a second finger and scissoring the hole open, trying to be patient but was turned on further by the captive’s pained gasps. 

He bent over, spooning the small brunette with his entire body, warming him and rubbing against him. His lips fell on that smooth, pale nape, massaging Fuji’s neck with his tongue and mouth until finally, he gave in to months of temptation, his fangs breaking into the skin. 

He moaned, as that sensual blood pooled into his mouth, more sweet than any he had ever tasted, more intense and flavorful than any blood could have possibly been. Below him, the hunter moaned as well, as the toxin on the vampire’s fangs filled him with a pleasureful wave. The hole relaxed, letting Tezuka fit in a third finger, drawing it wide.

He dragged his fangs away, knowing he would never be satisfied with any blood other than this. Feeling full for the first time in months, he was flushed and wanton, and he began stroking Fuji’s penis with his palm, wanting the teen to feel the same way. The manhood grew hard under his caress and began to leak. The hunter squeezed shut his eyes and bit his lower lip, trying to stop the little noises coming from his throat.

Tezuka could no longer wait, his patience evaporated by the sight. Pulling out his fingers, he brought his rock hard cock against that puckering, virgin hole. He hesitated for barely a second, before plunging in.

Fuji screamed as his flesh was forced open, but Tezuka couldn’t stop until his thick member was all the way into the hilt. The hole was so hot, so tight, making the vampire groan, and he wrapped his arms around the shuddering youth, keeping one hand on Fuji’s penis. At first he pumped it in time with his thrusts, but he was losing it, lost in ecstasy, lost in the body of this man he’d been following for so long. They’d been enemies, but partners at the same time, dancing in their confrontations. Always the tension, always the exchange, and now, finally...

* * *

It was beautiful. 

Atobe could never get enough.

With each of the hunter’s screams, Tezuka lost more and more of his steel control, pounding harder, faster, with more need. Atobe loved it, watching his ever stoic brother lose to his body’s desires.

At the same time, the diva was furious. This was more than just sex, just dominating rape - Tezuka was enjoying this far too much, he was expressing not just physical but emotional pleasure. It left Atobe feeling giddy, ecstatic with this view of Tezuka’s emotions, yet jealous, enraged at the fact that it was this hunter, this pathetic boy who was drawing out the craving the spartan vampire had always locked away.

But more than anything, Atobe felt _thirsty_. He fangs grew out... he wanted, so badly, to join his brother on the bed, to drain together with his twin every drop of warm life from his captive’s veins. 

He held back, biting his own lip and licking up his own blood. It was too entertaining, seeing his brother fuck the hunter so hard, this child his brother had demanded he neither bite nor kill. The brunette was screaming, crying, bleeding where his membranes had been torn, but he was flushed, too, and that was also entertaining, seeing the teen’s hormones flare as the hunter thrust against Tezuka’s hand, his little cock leaking and hard. 

Atobe was a little disappointed when Tezuka kept his hand wrapped around the hunter’s hard length. This was less like sexual torture and more like something the teenager could enjoy. Fuji was at full mast, leaking and moaning, even as his body was pounded hard against the mattress, beginning to spot with blood and bruises. 

Ah, well. Feeling pleasure while being raped by your great and long time foe was a whole nother level of humiliation, and Atobe would be sure later that the young hunter knew it. The diva murmured in amusement at Fuji’s back arched, and white semen shot onto his stomach. He bucked several times, thrusting out his orgasm with a cry, before going limp. Tezuka kept on fucking, as Fuji fell to long drawn out pants, his eyelids slowly shutting. 

Atobe’s real pleasure was seeing his brother cum, the way those hazel eyes, always stone hard behind his glasses, shut in ecstasy, though other than a grunt and his marred eyebrows, Tezuka’s expression barely changed. 

To Atobe, and probably everyone else, Tezuka always looked angry.

The bespectacled vampire stayed frozen over the semi-conscious hunter for several minutes, breathed heavily as he recovered himself. Atobe could only guess what he was thinking, but he hoped it was along the lines of regret.

Finally Tezuka pulled away, glaring hard at his leering twin before tearing from the room. The diva merely smirked in response, drifting to the bed and stroking the soft hair of his vulnerable prey.

The following days would very, very fun.

* * *

" _Now_ I remember where I've seen you," Atobe smirked, feeling quite pleased with himself as he tied on the frilly headpiece, adding the final touch to his master piece. “You do make a lovely little lady; much better than a pathetic little man.”

He pulled up the ropes that wrapped round his captive’s thin wrists, looping them onto the hanger that hooked up on the ceiling bolt, then tightening them until Fuji’s heels began to lift of the floor. Smirk widening, he drew his hand up the effeminate hunter’s smooth, well shaped leg, starting at the ankle and sliding behind his knee, running his fingers up until they felt the sticky, wet cum that trailed down the back of the youth’s thighs.

It was a bit of a shame, he mused, that the hunter’s entire upper half was concealed by thin layers of cotton, white and black and frilly at every edge. He supposed the current level of coverage was his own fault, for dressing his captured hunter in the silly maid costume, but it was pretty entertaining, seeing the young man flush with embarrassment, even though he’d so shamelessly donned that blue dress that Atobe remembered from before. _Kite never could have caught a delicate little thing like you on his own,_ Atobe thought, licking his lips.

He lifted the back of the little black skirt and tucked it up behind the white bow that finished off the apron’s waistband, wanting a better view of that firm, twitching ass. 

“You still have a lot of Kunimitsu up there,” Atobe chuckled, jamming two of his fingers up the hunter’s dripping hole. Fuji shrieked, his legs tensing and twisting as he tried to deal with the pain. He was still so tight, the vampire mused, scissoring his fingers for a bit before tearing them out with a flick.

He drew himself back up so he could see the brunette’s face, amused by how scrunched up his eyes were and how clenched he kept his lips. Atobe just couldn’t help himself, swabbing the cum covered digits across the boy’s lips, pushing them into his mouth and rubbing them onto his tongue. He drew them in and out, more and more rapidly until he was all out finger fucking the hunter’s tongue and throat. The whimpers and the trails of tears streaking down both sides of the boy’s face were beautiful, but the diva grew tired of the game and pulled his fingers out, cleaning them on the apron.

“Huh...” Atobe stood back for a moment of observation, staring at his shaking captive who had resumed pressing together his lips. “So it's true, Fujis train to deal with torture by not speaking at all."

_If he... he didn’t know this until now,_ Fuji thought, _Then... he hasn't tortured Yuuta._

He didn’t have time to be relieved. Atobe plucked a metal dildo from the table of tools behind him, and pressed its tip against Fuji’s twitching entrance.

“I told your brother you were here,” Atobe’s smile turned malicious, as he pushed the penis shaped copper up into the hunter’s hole. That expression of sheer pain, the silent scream that came when the child opened his lips, was absolutely enchanting. “His reaction was, shall I say, _delightful_. For me, that is.”

“What have you done with him?!” Fuji’s lips trembled, the look in his eyes was just precious, but Atobe felt a little annoyed that it wasn’t the torture, but mentioning the little brother that made the hunter finally say something.

“Nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you,” Atobe sneered, pressing the hard dildo in further and joggling it a bit. 

The hunter opened his mouth as if to say more, but then his lips slammed shut and held firm in a thin line, even as tears began to well up in his eyes. Atobe moved the dildo slightly in and out, enjoying the little whimpers that came, and when it was fully inserted, he untucked the skirt and stepped back to admire his handiwork. 

“Actually, I believe he’s quite bored. Tezuka doesn’t play with him as I do with you.” Atobe leaned forward, drawing his hand along Fuji’s cheek. “How about I take you to see him?” His smile stretched into a devious leer. “Why don’t I take you right in front of him, make you moan, make you come...” He laughed, loving the look on his captive’s face. He hooked his claws on the frilly white collar, drawing them down and slicing the fabric to ribbons. There, that was better - now he could see that pale chest, throbbing up and down as the hunter took short, panicked breaths. “I wonder what he’ll think, seeing you enjoy having sex with your greatest enemy? Maybe he’ll be turned on.”

The apron fluttered to the ground. Atobe took the time to carefully carve away the little puffy sleeves, leaving the boy with only the headpiece and the scrap of black fabric that made up his skirt. 

“I’ll tell you what,” he drew close, his lips almost against Fuji’s ear, so close he could lick along its edge if he felt inclined. “Since you don’t look like you’re in the mood, I’ll make you a deal. If you can push that wonder metal out of your ass, I’ll end our little fuck time session for today. Otherwise, I'll go stick your ass in Yuuta's face, and he can do it for you.” 

Now the hunter’s expression was priceless. His wrinkled eyebrows, those horrified tears, and the utter helplessness that radiated from his every pore - it was just what he deserved, and Atobe felt blissfully proud that he was the one to create it.

For a second, it seemed the hunter wasn’t going to comply, but then he bit his lip and _moaned_ \- the muscles in his thighs tensed, and Atobe watched, unable to stop himself from stroking his cock, as the dildo slowly started to inch out. The teen was making all sorts of uncouth noises, his face flushed red and as the metal wiggled its way down.

Atobe undid his zipper, and stroked himself to completion, just as the dildo finally fell the last few inches under its own weight. It clattered to the floor, covered in sticky cum and a little blood, and the hunter let out a relieved sob. 

Laughing with amusement, Atobe wiped himself off with a tissue and headed for the door.

“We’ll pick up tomorrow when the sun sets,” he grinned. The hunter whimpered, pulling on his binds and making the hanger creek, but Atobe paid it no mind as he closed the door and headed off to bed.

He had several more days of activities planned, and so many toys that he’d bought out of amusement, but never gotten the chance to use.

* * *

Fuji tracked the time as best he could. Atobe seemed to go to bed from sometime shortly after sunrise to the early afternoon - it had only been two days, then, but already he felt like he was going to die.

_Tezuka made him promise not to kill me,_ Fuji thought with a bitter chuckle. _So I guess that’s not going to happen._ He shifted on the bed, just slightly, wincing and freezing in place as pain seared through his backside. It wasn’t just his back; his arms went back and forth between feeling numb and being on fire. He didn’t know how many hours he’d been left hanging - he’d passed out at some point, and woken up on the bed.

Sunlight streamed into the room, from both the sunlight overhead and the large window to his side. He considered trying to push himself out the window, but even from here he could see he was on the second story. He had no idea where they were... the organization had never uncovered where the twins lived, and it was obvious by how comfortable the brothers were that this was home.

He wondered if he should be distressed over his capture. If he should be crying, tossing and turning and bemoaning his fate, perhaps forever imprisoned by the silver haired sadist until his body gave out as a play thing.

But instead, all he felt was elated. He wished he'd been captured sooner. From everything Atobe said, the twins had to be keeping Yuuta nearby. From the view of endless forest, and the mountains in the distance, Fuji knew they must be out far enough that there wouldn't be much else around. If Atobe had spoken to Yuuta in the last two days, then his brother's prison had to be close.

In fact, he was already beginning to suspect where it was. That morning, he'd seen someone carrying a tray of food out from the floor below him, and enter the guest house he could just make out across the way. The servant had been a young man, undoubtedly a vampire, somewhat tall, with spiked black hair. He came out again after some time, with all of the dishes consumed. And while Fuji knew that some vampires did like to eat, there was no one who would take a plate of food across a yard, go indoors with such a beautiful garden around, to eat by himself.

This was his chance, Fuji knew, the chance he’d been waiting for for almost a year. 

All he had to do was stay strong through some number of torture sessions, until he found an opening through which to escape.

* * *

'Master', Momoshiro's voice came into his head. 'Atobe just went out.'

"Why are you telling me this?" Tezuka set down the book he was reading with a sigh.

'He's way over due to feed. He'll be gone for a while. You should take this chance to - ...'

"To what?" Tezuka growled, his cheeks tightening though his expression barely changed. Even if no one could see him, he would never let his guard down.

'Errr....um... well, look, take some advice from a guy who can see people's emotions. This is something you need to go deal with.'

Frowning, Tezuka wondered if Atobe's offspring ever spoke to him this way. They were a rude bunch, so probably they did.

"I will take your advice into consideration," he replied, before cutting off the connection. It bothered him, that Momoshiro couldn't turn his ability off like a light bulb, which meant the younger vampire would always be reading him, no matter what Tezuka ordered.

He marked the page he was on, and set the book back on the shelf. He knew he wouldn’t be able to focus on it now, anyway. 

He didn’t know what Momoshiro expected him to do. He thought keeping both Fuji children as their prisoners was just asking for an all out war, and though they’d built their strength considerably, Tezuka knew this was bloodshed he’d rather avoid. But Syuusuke had been caught by Atobe, and... this was Atobe’s call. … It wasn’t that Tezuka was worried, if he took Syuusuke back to the organization, that Atobe would catch on to what his twin had been up to for the last two decades. Already, Tezuka’s interest in the young hunter was what caught his brother’s attention, and gotten Syuusuke into this position in the first place.

With that in mind, Tezuka decided he was just going to look, and make sure the nineteen year old was being properly fed.

The bedroom door was expectedly locked, but Tezuka had the master key. Absolute quiet blanketed the mansion, and the small squeak of the door sounded like tortured screams. Tezuka knew he should expect the worst, but a dagger still jabbed through his heart the moment he saw Syuusuke.

The teenager lay on the bed, his ankles tied together with a long rope that also tied him to the bed. His white uniform shirt was the only scrap of fabric still on him, the top buttons snapped off, and his arms were pinned underneath his back, his wrists also tied. He looked too tired to be startled, but had reacted to the door opening by pulling up his knees in a sad attempt at covering himself. 

But what struck Tezuka the most was the cum splattered across Syuusuke’s skin, some still glisteningly wet. 

Blue eyes stared dully at the vampire as he moved slowly toward the bed. Atobe had certainly enjoyed himself, but he’d kept his promise. Syuusuke’s neck showed no signs of being recently pricked, and the teen was still alive.

Tezuka’s heart pounded, his fist clenched into a ball. The taste of that special, savory, _cursed_ blood still lingered on his tongue, and there was its source, helpless on the bed. 

He should turn around. He’d checked on Syuusuke, and now he should turn around and leave. But the pain he’d felt wasn’t just horror at Syuusuke’s condition, but also jealousy… he’d wanted to be there… to make Syuusuke moan in pleasure… 

Not only were his teeth pricking hungrily at his lips, but his pants were tightening as well. His legs were still moving, and then he was there, over Syuusuke, brushing the sweat slicked bangs off the hunter’s forehead. The teen breathed deeply, his eyes fluttering, as Tezuka’s hand moved gently along a taught, exposed thigh. Fingers hardened into claws, just enough that Tezuka could cut apart the ropes binding the ankles.

A gasp of relief flew from small pink lips, as Syuusuke stretched his legs out, and Tezuka found himself massaging them so the teen could be more comfortable. His wrists came free next, blue eyes glazing with moisture as he was able to shift his arms into a better position. Tezuka didn’t remember kicking off his shoes, but there he was, pulling himself entirely onto the bed and over Syuusuke as the hunter twisted and stretched. 

Drawing his fingers along Syuusuke’s arms, Tezuka wrapped his hands around the ligature marks on the hunter’s wrists, before bending down to meet those trembling lips with his own.

Their lips melted together, and Tezuka barely thought about it, as his tongue invaded the other’s mouth, and began to swirl pleasantly together with its counterpart. Tezuka’s knees fit between Syuusuke’s, pushing his legs farther apart, and the vampire unzipped his pants, eager to free his throbbing penis. The captive moaned into the deepening kiss, as Tezuka’ fingers began to explore, pushing underneath Syuusuke’s ass and into his buttcrack. 

The hole was not tight like it had been before, but soft and relaxed as Tezuka prodded it open with two fingers. Pulling his lips away, Tezuka watched Syuusuke’s face flush with pleasure as he rubbed that special spot, deep inside the hole. When the vampire bent down again, his lips clasped onto the other’s neck instead, his fangs making tiny pin prick punctures into the skin. An even deeper moan came from the teen, the combination of the aphrodisiac in the fangs and Tezuka’s ministrations to Syuusuke’s prostrate making the teen also grow hard. 

Tezuka pushed in slowly, enjoying Syuusuke’s pleasure as much as his own. He was done feeding, turning his focus entirely to sex. He wrapped one hand around the teen’s cock, pumping in time with his thrusts, the other braced against the bed. It felt even better than the first time, the warmth and pressure of Syuusuke’s cavern, that beautiful flushed face for him to look down on, all the little sounds coming from puffed up lips. 

In and out, in and out, Tezuka started moving faster, making Syuusuke’s lower back arc up off the bed. Every thrust came with a little, “Oh” or “Ah”, and Syuusuke was leaking hard. Tezuka held it in, with all his will power, until finally the hunter yelled, “Aaaaah!” Cum shot up into Tezuka’s hand, raining down to add to the cum already on Syuusuke’s skin, and Tezuka let himself go, grunting as he spewed deeply into the teen’s hole. 

They lay panting for several minutes on the bed. Tezuka’s mind swirled, or maybe the room was swirling around him, he didn’t know, but he had never felt like this before. He didn’t know what to think, what to feel, couldn’t even process what had just happened.

He finally tore himself away, leaving Syuusuke panting and strewn beautifully across the bed. He just had to back away, one step at a time, before he ran back and pounced, and did it all over again. 

He managed to step out of the room, barely remembering to lock the door before he left, and raced into the bathroom.

* * *

Syuusuke curled in pain and disbelief, before forcing himself off the bed. He couldn’t believe it. Tezuka was delirious of he thought a simple door lock was going to stop Syuusuke. 

Then again, the vampire didn’t seem himself. Maybe that was because of the cursed blood… Tezuka had shown no control, caring only for pleasure in that moment. Syuusuke didn’t want to think about it too hard, but he’d felt it too… something kind, something comforting, and damn, it had felt good, but… he clamped down on his hormones. This was the man who’d kidnapped his brother, he reminded himself, trying to cool himself down. 

_Not much longer, Yuuta,_ he promised to himself. 

He dug through the dresser, trying to ignore Atobe’s toys and throwing on the most reasonable clothes he could find. Holding a metal pin he’d found amongst the toys, he began to fiddle with the door handle. 

He was going to rescue his brother.

* * *

Cold water pour onto Tezuka’s skin, as he tried to shower off all his shame and guilt. He couldn’t believe what he had done. This was _Syuusuke_ , the child he’d watched for nineteen years

But he no longer saw the young hunter that way. He ran his tongue over his incisors, flushing at the thought of drinking more of that nectar. But it was more than that too. He felt something he’d never felt before, and it was terrifying.

* * *

Fuji pulled open the metal door, feeling as if it were the heaviest door he'd ever opened.

He stumbled down the steps, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim light of the half basement. Other than the light coming from the door, a small window to the side of the room was the only other source of light he noticed. 

He didn't notice any furniture in the room, but his eyes quickly came to rest on a large shape, a coffin he realized, resting near the center of the gray concrete room. He dragged himself towards it, his fingers trembling as they touched its silver lid, sliding across its decorated rim and the engraved symbol of yod, the Yukimura family's sigil. "Yuuta..." He whimpered, his mind going numb with the implications.

"Aniki, I'm here."

Fuji turned around in a flash, his eyes widening with an overwhelming flow of relief as he saw his brother's face. He was at a window, which Fuji now saw was cut out of another door. Narrow bars across it were enough to keep even the most slender person from climbing through, but they left enough space that Yuuta was able to reach his hand through.

“Yuuta!” Fuji was to the door in an instant, taking hold of his brother’s hand with his own. Now wasn’t the time for a teary eyed re-union, though, and Fuji had been strong this far - he couldn’t stop now. “I’m getting you out of here right now.”

Even through the bars, Fuji could see his brother quite clearly. They’d been apart for nearly a year, but Yuuta had the same cropped hair, that showed off the small cross shaped scar on his forehead, and slightly paler skin. He was quiet, his face turned half away, looking at something out of Fuji’s view. 

“I’m glad to see you again, Aniki.” He said after a moment, his voice calm though he kept looking away, as if he were distracted. 

Syuusuke jerked at the door, giving it a frustrated shake. His eyes dashed around, searching for some way to get it open. 

“The key should be on a ring by the door,” Yuuta said, turning back to look at his brother. He had a smile on his face, which was not something Fuji was used to seeing. The brunette gave his brother a reassuring smile in return, touching his hand one last time before heading back towards to the entry door. There were only a few steps leading up to it, and now that he knew where to look, he found a large ring with a single key on it, hanging from a small hook against the wall. 

He had just slipped his fingers around it, when the door flew open, light spraying into his eyes and blinding him. Then a shadow passed between him and the sun, and Tezuka stood in front of him, enveloped by his black cape. 

_No, no, no!_ Not now, not when Yuuta was right behind him. _Yuuta...._

Fuji took a step back, his eyes focused on the vampire standing tall before him, but he didn’t hesitate as he tossed the key behind him. He didn’t hear a clatter on the floor; he knew, without looking, that his aim had been perfect, and already he could hear creaking as Yuuta let himself out. 

Fuji took slow, careful steps backwards down the steps; Tezuka barely took one, moving just enough to fill the door frame. _That’s all he has to do, it’s the only way out,_ Fuji thought, but he refused to give up. He held out the knife he’d found in the mansion’s kitchen. _This is all I have. But I can’t back down, not when I finally found Yuuta!_ Close range combat was never his strong point, not for lack of skill, but he’d always known he couldn’t win against a vampire who’d have ten times his strength.

_But Tezuka doesn’t want to kill me._ It was his only advantage. Even before Tezuka had tasted his blood, the vampire had had so many opportunities... Fuji didn’t want to think about why those opportunities hadn’t been taken.

_Technique over power._ He grit his teeth, tossing the key ring to Yuuta before setting his stance at the bottom of the steps. Tezuka looked down, then away, then sighed. It was clear the vampire was deciding whether or not he should let himself be prompted to action, when all he really had to do was block the doorway. His eyes drifted past where Fuji was standing, and he must have been looking at Yuuta behind the blue eyed hunter; something he saw make him take a few stairs down. Fuji himself didn’t dare turn around. 

He flipped, the knife handle around his wrist, positioning it in front of him as he crouched. He didn’t wait for Tezuka to move again. He flashed forward, slashing the knife towards Tezuka’s chest. The vampire smoothly lifted his arm, his front few fingers hardened into claws, effortlessly blocking the blade. But Fuji was already sliding the knife lower, aiming at the bespectacled man’s thigh, forcing the vampire to sweep out his cape to knock the blow away. 

Fuji jumped a few steps back, and Tezuka stepped closer. Now that they were away from the door, Fuji had more room to circle and look for openings. As he’d expected, Tezuka wasn’t trying to attack him. The vampire kept his stance closed, his cape hiding the position of his arms, his hazel eyes following the hunter as he side-stepped around him. It was a perfect defense, for an already superior opponent. 

That was fine. Fuji didn’t have to win. All he had to do was keep Tezuka stuck focusing on him, so that Yuuta had time to get away.

Neither spoke. There was simply no need. Fuji charged forward, slashing at the cape, tearing at the fabric and making it easier for him to see Tezuka’s movements. The vampire finally made a move of his own, sweeping out with his hand, but Fuji dexterously slide beneath it and slashed at Tezuka’s backside, forcing him to step closer to the center of the room to avoid the blow. 

The coffin was right behind him, restraining his movements, and Fuji took this as his chance. He charged forward with all his strength, both hands on the handle, aiming straight for Tezuka’s gut although he knew it was futile.

Then came the blood.

There was resistance, the feeling of piercing into flesh. There was warmth, wetness, the smell of iron, and Fuji’s hands were covered in it.

Blood.

Yuuta’s body was leaning against him. 

His knees gave out. 

He fell to the floor, and Yuuta was there with him. Holding him. At least, that was what he remembered.

Then his mind went blank.

* * *

Atobe stepped down into the basement level, huffing at the scent of beer and sounds of laughing that wafted up. He would normally not seek prey in such a grimy place, but it was a cold night, and not many people were walking around at this hour. The only venues still open were bars, and The Chiba-ken, which he would have preferred, was closed for some sort of construction.

Had he not been so hungry, he would have waited a few more hours, for the shopkeepers to come begin their early day, or traveled further to another town. Tezuka made it a rule never to go to the same place twice, but Atobe hadn’t used this spot for years, and with his current need he just didn’t give a damn. He’d waited too long, had far too much fun playing with Fuji, forgetting that he wasn’t allowed to drink from his little toy until the thirst had overcome him.

The bar was packed, probably because the quaint town’s other late night spot was closed, and all the pool tables were taken, so Atobe settled for a place at the counter instead. He had developed a little habit of playing a game, betting over drinks with some bar regulars, and making subtle promises of what he’d do with whoever beat him. Of course, the only ones who could beat him were the ones he allowed to beat him, so he always got the one he wanted. 

“Drink,” The bartender asked, his tone as flat as his hair. He looked like the stiff type, with his unemotional frown and oval glasses that concealed his eyes.

“Bloody Mary,” Atobe drawled with a smirk, eyeing the bartender up. He was a nice height, with Beiber hair and a sharp face, but he was a little too emotionless for the diva’s taste.

The bartender seemed to understand, because he reached under the counter, rather than the row of vodkas right behind him. It wasn’t too surprising; vampires tipped quite nicely, so the older bars knew to keep up their stock. That and the bartenders knew it was safest mixing a good drink, since a vampire would be more interested in their longevity than what pulsed under their skin.

“Another Coors,” said the man who slid up next to him, pounding an empty mug onto the table.

Atobe turned his interest to him, piqued by the deep, gruff voice that spoke the two words like a command. He was rewarded with the site of a tall, broad asian, with narrow, black eyes just visible from under the rim of a black baseball cap. The man’s frown was stern, but not emotionless like the bartender’s: it was angry, like his eyes, they were filled with a passionate anger, as if the man was ready to boil over at any second of his life.

It reminded Atobe a little of Tezuka. 

This would definitely be his tango partner for the night, Atobe decided, licking his lips. 

“Forget the Coors,” Atobe drawled, slapping down his card as the bartender delivered his drink. “Give the man a Westvleteren 8, on me.”

The bartender stared at his card, which Atobe assumed was because the man had never seen a black platinum. “. . . We don’t have Westy 8, sir.” 

Atobe frowned. “Well, what do you have?”

“Um... I can give him some Cantillon.”

“That,” Atobe sighed with a wave of his hand. “Really, I shouldn’t have expected much from a little pub like this.”

“Then why did you come here?” The man growled, looking irritated that he couldn’t just get his cheap beer and drink it. Oh well, the man would appreciate the greatness of expensiveness in a second.

“For the company,” Atobe slyly smiled, letting his tongue run over his lower lip with just a touch of suggestiveness. “I suppose you’re with ponytail and bubblegum over there.” He nodded towards one of the pool tables, where a man with platinum blond hair was elbowing a red-head blowing a bubble while he set up his shot. Atobe had noticed the trio when he’d stepped in, having taken a quick survey of his selection for the night.

“You mean you’re looking for company,” the man muttered, and Atobe practically laughed at his bluntness. He really did remind him of Tezuka, though Tezuka would have probably stayed silent if a stranger at a bar started chatting him up.

That was probably a good sign.

“Perhaps you’d like the next game?. You, me, a little duel over billiards.” Atobe took a sip of his drink, murmuring pleasantly to himself as the concoction of blood and mixers seeped down his throat. It wasn’t nearly enough to quell his hunger, if anything, it made him realize just how much he needed blood.

His eyes flashed red with desire, as he imagined taking this handsome man to the alley in the back, pulling him down and having his way with him, before draining him of every precious drop his body had.

“No thanks,” the man said, standing. He was tall, to the point of being imposing, Atobe noticed, and his muscles seemed to flex under his shirt. In fact, the man was a bit monstrous in his muscularity. “I’ve confirmed what I needed to.”

Atobe’s brain clicked into gear a second before the man’s arm shot out, narrowly missing the punch as he arched backwards. His legs kicked up in the air, forcing the Spartan to jerk back as he back-flipped, easily landing on his feet. He didn’t have a moment to applaud his own gorgeous dexterity, however, because the bartender leaped over the counter, a metal bar in his hands, that was already swinging out towards Atobe’s chest, giving him one more thing to dodge.

The din of stamping feet pounded in his sensitive ears, as the bar quickly emptied out, and Atobe could not believe he’d gotten caught in some amateur hunters’ sting operation. A ringing in his ears started, reminding him how much he really needed to feed, and now he felt triply irritated that he’d been caught at a weak point.

_These fools are far too lucky. If I weren’t currently dizzy, they’d already be dead._ He swung up with his claws, the upper cut just barely missing the larger of his two attackers, who drew out a sword as he stumbled away. Now it was the diva’s turn to attack; the pseudo bartender couldn’t even get close as Atobe tore out a rain of strikes, forcing the coal haired hunter on the defense. 

_If he didn’t have that sword, I’d have slashed him to smithereens,_ the diva grinned. He didn’t even need to focus; already the temperature in the room had dropped, enough that he could see the hunter’s breath. The chiseled faced man seemed to realize something was wrong; he pulled his sword up high, and slashed it down with a roar to finish it.

Atobe didn’t even wince as he met the blade with an upward slash of his own. The metal didn’t just break; it shattered, the pieces crashing to the floor, each one covered with a thin sheen of ice. The hunter also yelped, dropping the handle and grabbing his hand, which Atobe had no doubt was suffering the effects of minor frostbite.

“Ice has a funny way to burn, don’t you think?” He drawled, holding out his hand. The air around him rapidly condensed; every bit of moisture, even the water in the glasses around him, gathered in his hand, forming a long, sheer blade of ice.

“That’s a cool power you have,” the bartender smirked, stepping in front of the hunter who was still favoring his hand, rubbing it against his shirt. Atobe frowned; he didn’t remember the bartender getting around him, and there was nothing more important in a fight against multiple enemies then keeping track of them all.

The bartender swung out at him with a billiards cue, and Atobe realized what was going on just in time to duck both from the cue and the rod that came swinging from behind him, where the real bartender still was. The cue and rod struck each other, but the two fighters were well coordinated, pulling back in a smooth fashion despite their failure, as Atobe stayed low and leapt back, taking shelter by one of the pool tables. The two identical men turned towards him, but Atobe could see now that one was an illusion.

_A doppelganger ability, ahn?_ Despite his predicament, he smirked to himself, fantasizing about how nice it’d be to have this one on his side.

He gave himself a second to assess the situation; if there were the three hunters in front of him…. _Then Bubblegum’s behind._

He grabbed the table leg, pouring out the power he’d been born with, and then with all the strength he’d gained as a vampire, flipped the now ice covered table up into the air, sending it hurling towards the three hunters. He heard the spartan hunter roar, the sound of crashing and smashing, but that was already behind him, as he dashed towards the stairs, where only the small redhead was blocking his way.

“Whoa whoa whoa, now he’s coming toward me!” The redhead shrieked, backing up the stairs. He didn’t have any real weapons, just the cue, and he still had gum in his mouth.

_Thought your companions would take care of things, did you?_ Atobe leered, shooting two claws out to flick the little henchman away.

“Just kidding,” The redhead’s panic was suddenly gone, his face twisting into a smirk, and he reached out and _pushed_ the claws with his hand, throwing them off just enough that they hit the railing and _stuck there_. 

There was gum on Atobe's fingers. There was disgusting, saliva covered gum stuck on his claws, sticking them fast to the wooden railing, refusing to come lose no matter how he pulled, because it wasn’t gum, but some fucking special super glue ability that Atobe had never heard of and was absolutely disgusting.

“I’m a genius, aren’t I?” The redhead popped another piece of gum in his mouth, looking so fucking pleased with himself.

Now Atobe was _pissed_. He froze the railing, ripping up his hand and pulling a chunk of wood out with it. He was only a second from clobbering that bobbly red haired head with the wood, when two giant arms came up from behind, grabbing him under the armpits and pulling him back.

He couldn’t _believe_ it. No matter how he struggled, the large hunter had a firm grip on him, completing the body lock by forcing Atobe down on the floor.

_This human is stronger than a vampire,_ Atobe realized, seething as his face pressed against the wood. _Great, now I really want to fucking eat him._

That was the last thing he thought, when something came down on his head and he blacked out.

* * *

Momoshiro watched with trembling breath as his master stepped up of the half-basement. The older Fuji brother, Syuusuke, was in his arms, bunched up against his chest. The young hunter was soaked in blood, the white dress shirt thoroughly stained, and his expression was so strange - his blue eyes stared up at nothing, wide and motionless, he was neither awake nor asleep, and even his aura seemed dead, a subdued off white that usually meant borderline consciousness.

Tezua didn’t speak to him as he walked by; he only gave him a look, tacitly ordering him to take care of things. 

Opening the door, Momoshiro knew even before he smelled the blood that he would not find anything nice down those bare cement steps. 

_Yuuta..._

He covered his mouth with his hand, gripping the wall for support with the other as he took in the scene. The blood had stained not only Syuusuke’s shirt - it was all over the floor, all over the coffin, and all over Yuuta. Momo knew from the utter lack of aura that the teenager was dead. His corpse had been carefully sat up against the coffin, that giant ominous box that Momo had been careful not to ding during the last year of his duties; but right now he could care less if one of Atobe’s valuable antiques was damaged. 

He knew he shouldn’t be upset; he had seen plenty of death before, but this... he’d been serving this child for a year, and...

‘We have a problem.’ Kaido’s voice came into his head, and he knew Tezuka heard it as well. 

‘What is it?’ Tezuka responded, keeping the connection open to both of his offspring.

‘One of my snakes brought a report back from one of our spies at the organization. Atobe just showed up at headquarters... in chains.’

‘. . .’ Though Tezuka said nothing, his dead fury was evident through their mental link. 

Even Momo was shocked, and he couldn’t stop himself from saying, “How can that be possible?!”

Kaido hissed, sounding just as shocked and upset. ‘From our spy’s report, he fought a team of four, and you know he was late in going out to feed. He must have not had the energy to get away.’

_First Fuji Syuusuke, then Yuuta, now this..._ Momo felt his gut wrench, as he sat down on the steps, needing a moment to rest. _Master, what will you do?_

* * *

_An old hand reached out to them, peeking out from the heavy kimono fabric. Upon the wrinkled skin, two small pendants glittered, the sigil of the Fuji family, six point golden stars with tiny gold beads at each point. Engraved in each star’s middle was phe, the symbol of the voice, the guide._

_“These are the earrings worn by Fuji Yumiko on the day she gave her most important prophecy,” their grandmother’s voice creaked with age, but it was filmed with warmth and a kindness that matched her smile. Two small children looked up at her from each side of her wheelchair, eyes sparkling as they looked at the ornate pins. “I’m giving them to the both of you, one for each of the two Fuji heirs, my darling little grandchildren.”_

_She kept a small, closed mouth smile, her eyes crinkled up into half crescents, and with her hair rolled up in a high bun and held with an antique pin, she looked no more than a loving grandmother giving a present to her grandchildren. Her days as a powerful elder of the Fuji family were now over, but she was happy, as she handed each boy a pendant._

_“Be careful not to lose them,” she cooed._

_Yuuta held up his pendant with wide eyed wonder, the five year old’s mouth dropped open like an ‘o’. Syuusuke cradled the pendant in his palms, also smiling brightly, looking not only at his new badge but also at his little brother’s happy expression._

_The summer ended, and the two boys took their entrance exams. Yuuta was excited to start school for the first time, even if most of the education would be from home, as they were already being carefully reared to inherit their important familial roles. Yuuta pulled his first exam scores out of the mail, thrilled to see he’d gotten an ‘A’, even though he’d missed a few questions. He ran to show his parents, tottering out to the yard where they were talking to Syuusuke._

_“Ranked first in his class,” Fuji Yoshiko, their mother, was saying, drawing her older son forward towards her husband in one armed hug. “Our little genius never misses a point.”_

_Syuusuke was holding his own report card, beaming up at their father, who had a rare smile of his own to offer to their little prodigy._

_“Perfection is what the Fuji family strives for,” the light haired man said, giving his eldest a pat on the head, a rare sign of affection for typically impassive man._

_Yuuta ran back to his room, and shoved his report letter under his mattress._

_It was like that with everything they did. When they were at the beach with all the hunters’ kids, Yuuta worked for hours to make four little sand towers; but when he went to where all the other kids were, they were surrounding a sand castle Syuusuke had made that looked like the one at Disneyland. Some little girls from the Echizen family surrounding Syuusuke and giggling, and even the bear, Genichirou from the Sanada clan, looked impressed._

_Yuuta told himself he didn’t care, and went back to his towers. They were all different sizes, so he tried to prop them up, but the first one he pushed at crumbled, and when he tried to fix it, it was so lopsided he gave up and sat by the waves._

_He turned when he heard a squeak; Syuusuke were there, his smile as big as a watermelon as he took the little flags he’d had on his castle and stuck them at the top of Yuuta’s towers._

_Yuuta knocked the flags down, and turned back to the waves, determined not to talk or look at his brother._

_He was playing hide and seek by himself one day, which meant he was always looking for new places to hide, since he was always finding himself, when he saw Syuusuke’s pendant. It was leaned against a picture frame on his big brother’s child sized oak desk; the picture was the one of them with their grandmother._

_He picked up the pendant. Nobody was there to see him. Next thing he knew, he was throwing it up at the tree where the morning doves always nested. One of them was there now, maybe waiting for its partner. It looked at him with its head tilted for a second, before deciding to flutter away, leaving him alone by himself._

_They went to see their grandmother again that week. She looked the same as always, smiling at them from her wheelchair. But she had a few more wrinkles around her mouth and forehead, that Yuuta didn’t remember being there before._

_His dad gave each of them a sling shot. He took it to the backyard when he got a chance, and practiced with the little rubber balls that it came with. His frustration began to fester, as each of the balls either missed the tree trunk he was shooting at, or feel out of the sling before he even sent them off._

_He felt a tap on the shoulder, and Syuusuke was there, holding his own slingshot with a giant, stupid grin. He showed Yuuta how to place the ball on the string, how to pull it back, and he looked so happy showing off that Yuuta couldn’t stand it._

_He walked away, leaving his brother to stare silently after him._

_The next time they saw their grandmother, she was hooked up to an IV. Her skin was even more wrinkled, and it had turned a funny color, sort of a pale yellow, but it didn’t look nice like Syuusuke’s, who was also really pale, did._

_The first semester ended, and the trees ran out of leaves to let fall._

_They went to see their grandmother sooner than usual. Her wheelchair was out on the patio, empty as the bare tree behind it, that she’d always liked to rest under. Inside the house, all of their relatives were there, sitting around a futon where their grandmother lay, the IV dripping at her side. Their mother was so distressed for her mother-in-law’s condition, staying close by her side and holding her hand, asking her if there was anything they could do._

_“I’ve lived a long life, far more than most Fujis,” their grandmother breathed, her every word heavy and labored. “I have seen our family continue to flourish; I am happy.” She smiled, patting her daughter-in-law’s hand, smiling at her sons and nieces and nephews. “I suppose if I have any last wish, it would only be to see my grandchildren wearing our traditional clothes, with the Fuji sigil pendant on it.”_

_Yuuta did his best to hold still, as the serving women wrapped him in the heavy kimono, tightening and straightening it to perfection. They pinned on the pendant he’d given them, compounding the feeling of guilt that had been creeping into his veins ever since he heard their grandmother’s request._

_He snuck past Syuusuke’s room, where three of the women were pawing through every piece of furniture, opening every drawer and pouring through every shelf. Their father and mother were standing over Syuusuke, and Yoshiko asked about the pendant, but all Syuusuke did was cry and cry, not even trying to wipe his tears off on his kimono.  
Yuuta ran outside._

_He sat on the porch for a bit, feeling his pendant with his hand and feeling awful. He looked up at the tree where the morning doves were nesting, jumping up when he noticed a sparkle, metal glinting in the sunlight. He could see it from here, the glint was coming from the morning dove’s nest, where several tiny chicks were chirping up at their mother._

_He didn’t think about his kimono. He climbed up the tree as best he could, tears spilling from his eyes when he reached the nest, and the two parent doves pecked furiously at his head. They finally stopped when he reached the nest; his eyes lit up as he saw the glimmering metal… until he realized the pendant was in pieces._

_He couldn’t even see the center portion with the phe engraving, only the tiny prongs and beads from the star, scratched and half buried in the twigs._

_He thought of Syuusuke, standing in front of their parents in his kimono and crying, an endless waterfall of tears._

* * *

“It’s alright now, Aniki.”

“Yuu…ta….”

Yuuta’s voice was gentle in his ears. The angry tone he’d always used when talking to his older brother was gone; his voice now was calm, comforting, beautifully gentle.

Back when he was six, when he couldn’t find his pendant, when his parents and everyone was so disappointed in him, when he was so disappointed in himself and couldn’t stop crying, Yuuta had come and taken his hand, just as he did now.

_Little Yuuta had taken his hand, and pulled him along with him. Six year old Syuusuke wondered what on earth had happened to his little brother, whose hair and kimono were covered in leaves and dirt._

“It’s alright.”

_They ran into the workroom, where weapons waiting for repair were stored, along with some basic equipment for those that needed only a simple fix._

_They returned to see their grandmother. She was fixed up in a take home hospital bed now, but the family had placed it by the walls that slid open to the outside patio. The last of the autumn leaves had slipped into the room, falling around her, and each breath she took was slow and heavy, accompanied by her fever._

_“Grandmother!” Yuuta called, pulling his brother in behind him._

_The woman turned to look at them, her lips broadening out into a huge, happy smile. “That’s the most beautiful thing Grandma has ever seen,” she said, as the two boys stood there, hand in hand, Syuusuke smiling happy while Yuuta blushed and looked away._

_Each of them had half of the same pendant, broken in two, pinned to their kimonos._

“Baka Aniki, you haven’t changed at all.”

Yuuta’s hands firm around Syuusuke’s, which in turn were firm around the handle of the knife.

“Don’t cry.”

His knife was deep in Yuuta’s gut.

* * *

The black hummer limo pulled up to the bridge, parking perpendicular to it. Momo was already there, waiting for them; he’d had his eye on the occupants on the other side, even through the mild fog, he could clearly see their auras.

“Atobe is there,” he breathed out with relief, as one of Atobe’s offspring, Oshitari, stepped out from the driver’s seat. Momo noticed Atobe’s redheaded child, the annoying one that always liked to brag, pop out of the passenger’s side and walk around to take his place. 

Oshitari came over to stand with him, pushing his spectacles up with his fingers. “As long as there are no problems on our end,” he drawled, his eyes narrow as he glanced back towards the oversized hummer. 

Momo nodded, and the two of them went around to the back, opening it, and together, they lifted out a long casket, placing it down on the roller Momo had prepared. The spiky haired vampire pushed it forward to the edge of the bridge, and waved to show that they were ready.

A black haired man of average height stepped forward from the other side of the bridge, his hands raised high to show he had no weapons. “I’m a doctor,” he called out.

“He’s telling the truth,” Momo confirmed, keeping a careful eye for any changes in the doctor’s aura as he waved the man across. 

“I work for the organization, but I’m not a hunter, just a doctor,” the man said again, his olive green eyes trembling with distress. “My name is Oishi.”

Momo nodded, “Momoshiro. I can tell if you or anyone on your side is lying, so let’s keep this clean.”

Oshitari pulled open the back limo door, bowing slightly as he smirked, waving Oishi forward.

The doctor moved slowly, bending down to look at Fuji, who was resting silently against the black leather, his eyes staring out at nothing. He reached out with as slow but steady hand, touching the brunnette’s neck with two fingers, nodding as he found a pulse.

“Syuusuke, it’s me, Oishi. Look towards me,” he softly ordered.

Fuji’s eyes turned slowly, their blue shade seemed so flat, but he did look at the doctor, albeit unfocused.

“He’s not permanently damaged,” Oshitari smirked, and Momo wanted to kick him. 

_Hopefully he just thinks we drugged him,_ Momo cringed. Atobe’s offspring were all assholes.

The doctor didn’t say anything, and Oshitari at least had the courtesy to help pull the impotent teen up from the seat. 

“Can you carry him?” Oshitari asked, quirking his eyebrow as he sized up the average looking doctor. 

“All a hundred pounds of him, yes, I think I can manage that,” Oishi sighed, positioning Fuji as best he could on his back. The brunette feebly cooperated, circling his arms around the doctor’s front.

Oshitari put his hand on the doctor’s shoulder, stopping him in place.

“Your side, now,” he drawled, his voice turned serious. Oishi nodded, and signaled across to the other side.

“Someone’s bringing Atobe,” Momo said, though it was visible to all of them now. A large, muscular hunter was leading the prim vampire across. Atobe had a gag in his mouth, and his hands cuffed behind his back, but otherwise he seemed okay.

Oshitari muttered something under his breath, and from the infuriated scowl that appeared on Atobe’s face, it was clear they were communicating to each other. Momo was once again glad that it was Tezuka rather than Atobe, who had discovered his special ability and decided to take him in as an offspring.

The Spartan faced hunter marched stiffly behind the diva, who despite his binds still managed to strut across the bridge. When they stopped at the halfway point, Oshitari let Oishi start to walk across, and Momo went as well, pushing the large cart beside him. The doctor never asked about the casket, and Momo didn’t say anything either. They both knew that Yuuta wasn’t part of the deal.

Oishi nodded to the large hunter, whose expression hardened as he took Fuji from the doctor and held him bridal style against his chest. Atobe waited just long enough for Momo to get the key to the cuffs from the hunter, before striding off towards the hummer limo.

Momoshiro rolled his eyes and hurried after him, taking one last glance at the half conscious, crystal eyed boy who was being carried like precious cargo back to the group of hunters waiting on the other side. The doctor took over pushing the casket, giving the vampire the faintest nod of acknowledgement as he did.

“Stop looking so fucking amused,” Atobe snarled, the moment they took the off the gag. Oshitari opened the door to the limo, and the diva slid in with a huff, as his bespectacled underling closed the door behind him.

They sped off, leaving Momoshiro to take himself back in his small sedan. He looked one last time across the bridge, and saw the hunters were still there.

“Master,” he called out with his mind. “The brothers have been returned to their family.” 

He didn’t expect an answer, and he didn’t get one.

But he didn’t have to see Tezuka’s aura to know how he felt.

* * *

The grounds were quiet, with all of its usual occupants positioned around the organization’s headquarters in case something went wrong with the exchange. No one was in the mansion, or the guest house. 

_Thud._

The half-basement that formed the lowest level of the guest house was still dim, despite all that happened there. Its bare concrete walls had now seen blood, and despite all the laborious scrubbing, stains still seeped over the ground, barely hidden by the low light, still telling of the wrongs that had made them. 

_Thud._

Other than the stains, the only thing left in that cold, empty room, was the coffin. It sat in the darkness, no longer with the gray-blue eyes of the young prisoner to watch it, or any who knew what it contained to worry over the echoes that bounded against the concrete walls.

_Thud._

The coffin’s lid was ornate, but not excessive, its primary feature the symbol of yod, surrounded by the sigil of the Yukimura family, that signified the hand, the unwavering pride that carried all works to their end. It too bore the sanguine stains, the guilt from the most recent expense that had been paid, literally, in blood.

_Screech._

The howl of stone shifting against stone tore loudly through the small room. The heavy lid was sliding, slowly inching off of its frame, shadowing the inside of the coffin so that no more than a veiled blackness could be seen beneath it. 

Finally the screeching stopped, the lid held itself half balanced on the coffin and half hanging over the air. 

A hand shot up from the coffin, bony and pale, jerking up so quickly the very air whooshed around. Then another hand came, and finally a head, with dark, ebony blue strands that clung to sweat dampened skin, as a man’s body sat up partway, naked skin glimmering in the dim light, his narrow chest heaving with each of his gasping breaths, as if he had just emerged from an almost drowning.

His hands grasped each side of the coffin, his breaths heaving as he struggled to pull himself up, his muscles stretched and strained, until finally he collapsed, the victory of his efforts taking him as far as the coffin lid he draped over. He trembled against the stone, his face rested half against it, and his dark, midnight blue eyes cringed as they saw the sigil, his fingers tracing the raised engraving, before balling into a fist.

He _screamed_.

The sound tore out over the grounds, vibrating through the mansion and its many guest and servant houses, into the forest where creatures that were winged fluttered away in fright, and those that could only run did so.

By the time they were gone, though, so was he. 

The room sat empty, truly empty now - cold, dark, and silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so these are the smut-works that sparked the entire fic! ... That being said, a lot of details changed as the story progressed, so uh... ignore the inconsistencies. There's no point where Fuji has a knife and is threatening Tezuka on the bed.
> 
> ["Fuji Captured" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-001%20Fujis%20Capture%201_zpsgqhrpawv.jpg)
> 
> ["Fuji Captured" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-002%20Fujis%20Capture%202_zpsiultcezp.jpg)
> 
> ["Fuji Captured" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-003%20Fujis%20Capture%203_zpsdefzrz1r.jpg)
> 
> ["Fuji Captured" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-004%20Fujis%20Capture%204_zpsyb6begzv.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Takes Fuji" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-005%20TezuFuji%201st%20Time%201_zpsoundplkm.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Takes Fuji" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-006%20TezuFuji%201st%20Time%202_zpsoxtpqhjx.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Takes Fuji" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-007%20TezuFuji%201st%20Time%203_zpsd1t2fuut.jpg)
> 
> ["Atobe's Playtime"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-008%20AtoFuji_zpsul9h7hq2.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Checks On Fuji" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-009%20TezuFuji%202nd%20Time%201_zps3yh40ar5.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Checks On Fuji" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/04-010%20TezuFuji%202nd%20Time%202_zpseq5v2asi.jpg)
> 
> There's also a beautiful comic Neumegami drew that is the scene with Yuuta and Syuusuke as children. But it has a spoiler so I can't post it till later chapters. :P
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Omake**
> 
> ~ We learned in Chapter 1 that Sanada’s fourth teammate is Akaya, not Marui. Our investigative correspondent, Fuji, goes to interview the Commander to find out why. ~
> 
> Sanada groaned, a vein on his forehead started twitching as if it would burst from only the memories.
> 
> “Marui gave me too many headaches,” he moaned, rubbing his temple with his fingers. “Akaya is trouble, but it’s still an improvement.”
> 
> “How so?” Fuji asked, tapping his notepad, which contained plenty of stories, well, complaints really, about the curly black haired imp.
> 
> “. . . Niou and Marui used to team up to pull pranks on me,” the commander shuddered. “Now, Niou teams up with Yagyuu to pull pranks on Akaya.”
> 
> _They’re picking on the weakest link…_ Fuji thought sympathetically. He made a mental note to go ask Niou to tell him all his delightful stories of teammate hazing.


	5. Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The legendary Yukimura Seiichi has awoken...

Oishi knocked on the door, clenching his eyes shut as he waited. He thought of the exchange at the bridge, of Fuji’s blank, empty expression and almost complete lack of responsiveness. The brunette’s clothes were all too big for him, and Oishi didn't want to guess at who they belonged to. But he’d been bathed and changed before the transfer, cleaning away much of the evidence of what the doctor suspected had occurred during his captivity.

“Come in,” rumbled the deep, heavy voice from behind the door.

Oishi politely let himself into the office, nodding then remembering he needed to salute before the newly promoted commander.

Sanada scoffed and looked away, making it clear he didn’t expect such formality between the two friends, at least not when they were in private. What should have been a proud appointment was dimmed in light of everything else that had happened. Sanada could not possibly have felt happy about receiving a promotion for capturing one of the twins, when only a day later they had to trade their prized prisoner for one of their own, Sanada’s own youngest teammate who hadn’t even been reported as missing. They thought he had been playing one of his pranks, or gone out on another long search for his vanished brother, as he had done so frequently during the past horrible year.

The awkwardness passed after only a moment, and Sanada looked back with the serious s face of a commander. They were two professionals now, about to tackle the most difficult part of the work.

“Start with Yuuta,” Sanada said, stiff as a board in his office chair.

Oishi bit his lip. “As you saw, the mortician doesn’t have much work to do. Yuuta’s body was already cleaned, and properly laid in the casket.” He sighed, placing his hand on the desk for support. "I don't know what they did with him for the past year, but he only died a few days ago. ... They took good care of him. He was healthy, well fed... He must have had some way to exercise, though he was mostly indoors.

“I can't... Bring myself to hate them."

"Oishi." Sanada’s tone was firm. _Stop using your feelings and start using your head._

"This is my report,” Oishi slapped the stapled papers down the desk. “You can interpret it however you like."

"Get to the point,” Sanada’s voice rumbled. “How did he die."

The doctor took a deep breath, gulping down the bitter bile that kept rising in his throat. If Tezuka’s offspring, Momoshiro, hadn’t offered to return Yuuta’s body, there never would have been an autopsy. The Council hadn’t even asked about the younger brother during the negotiations.

The elders had fully abandoned him, and as a result, the child was dead.

Oishi’s voice cracked as he told the lieutenant what he had observed...

They were both silent for several minutes, then Sanada’s hand finally began to move, as he scribbled something on the edge of the report.

“What about Syuusuke?”

Oishi nodded, glad for a change in topic. “He has no broken bones, no major lacerations. But... to be frank, they didn’t treat him as well as Yuuta.” He lowered his voice. “It’s my personal opinion that he’s been tortured both physically and mentally... but there’s no evidence of that. I wouldn’t write it in your report.” 

The elders would see what they wanted to see. The perfect heir to the Fuji family, the great prodigy... maintaining that image was the best aid they could give Syuusuke right now.

Sanada wrote a few more things, waving the doctor away, his charcoal colored eyes glued to the papers on his desk. The commander had far too much to take care of, and he hadn’t even turned twenty. 

Oishi didn’t envy him.

* * *

"Is that him?" He heard whispers. "He's a lot smaller than I thought he'd be."

"Shhhh, what if you wake him up?"

"He's been asleep since they brought him back," the woman replied. "It's really amazing, what he did."

"It's horrible," the other women's whisper turned harsh. "He killed his own brother!"

"He _saved_ him," the first woman whispered hotly. "from being a prisoner. He protected the Family. The rebels have no hostages now; the crisis is finally over."

Their voices grew dim as they continued down the hall, until they disappeared completely.

Syuusuke’s lashes fluttered open. He was surrounded by white: white sheets, white curtains, white walls. 

The thin mattress creaked below him as he sat up, and his hand felt along the metal railing, confirming that he was in a hospital bed. 

He felt light headed as he stood, testing out his bare feet, and he had just enough shame left to button down the shirt of his pajamas, the clean, light blue fabric that he knew meant they belonged to him.

He pulled back the curtain. A familiar desk greeted him, and he could almost see the outline of the black haired doctor, who usually would be sitting there. 

_I’m home_ , he thought silently to himself, as he stepped over to the desk. His eyes came to rest upon a glinting piece of metal, one he knew all too well.

He picked up the halved star, lips twitching as his index finger drifted along the crudely cut edge, where a five year old had once struggled to cut through the thin metal with a wire cutters. Syuusuke knew it wasn’t his half, which he kept safe in a fireproof box in his room. This half, Yuuta’s half, had disappeared along with his little brother, but now here it was. 

Syuusuke flipped it over in his hand, his eyes widening as he saw the little blood stain across the pin and dabbed along the back.

* * *

Sanada looked up from his paperwork, wondering who would knock so frantically. He didn’t have to guess; the door pushed open, and Oishi let himself inside, slightly huffing and sweat on his brow.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Sanada, but have you seen Fuji?!” The doctor glanced around the room, as if he expected the effeminate brunette to be hiding somewhere in there. “He disappeared from the med room. I can’t find him anywhere!”

Sanada slammed down his pencil and stood up, pushing back his chair. 

“Go back to your office,” he commanded. “I’ll deal with him.” _He has to grow up. I have,_ he thought, slamming the door to his office as he left.

It didn’t take him long to find him. _Oishi panics too easily, and misses what’s in front of him._

It was late into the night, and Fuji was drifting along the hall that led to the garden. Long windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling, causing the foot wide panels separating them to cast bar like shadows across the hall, looking like the bars of a prison. With his light, loose clothing, he looked like an ethereal spirit in the night, more so when he turned towards the commander, his pale, cerulean eyes shimmering through the shadows.

Fuji stopped walking when he saw his commander, shuffling his feet as he looked down at them, and held his elbow with his hand. It was a habitual gesture he made when he was depressed, and Sanada decided he had to break him of it.

“If you’re able to walk around, you’re able to go see the elders.” Sanada’s voice was firm, not too harsh or commanding, but in no way soft. _We’ve spoiled him for too long,_ Sanada thought, deep wrinkles forming around his mouth. _He can’t afford to be coddled, not anymore._ “Go to your room and change - you have a new uniform. You’ve been promoted to lieutenant commander, for your... accomplishments.” He tugging at his lapel, straightening his own trench coat that befit his new role as a commander. “They’ll work with you to put together a team, and you’ll be given your own office. You don’t work directly under me, anymore.”

Fuji drifted close to him, his hand barely lifting, then stopped, seeing that the commander’s posture was firm. He would find no comfort, no embrace from his childhood friend. Their childhood was gone now. Its only remaining role was to be forgotten.

The brunette turned without a word, his bare feet padding silently on the floor as he headed towards the dormitory. Sanada felt his heart sink, and a part of him ached to reach out, to explain that he was doing this for Fuji’s own good, not because of what had happened, not because of what the elders thought Fuji had done.

_I know you loved Yuuta,_ he wanted to say. _I know you would never hurt him._

But his throat was dry, and their parting was silent.

* * *

The council chambers were always cold, but today Fuji was very, very glad for his thick trench coat being an official part of his uniform. The new fabric felt stiff on his arms, but he let neither discomfort nor nervousness show on his face. 

The elders were seated before him. He knew only about half of them; it wasn't as if their names were written anywhere, for their own safety, apparently. But he could see his father among them, as well as Genichirou's father and grandfather. The Echizens were also represented; Nanjiroh had his usual seat in the back.

_They've all come out today to see if I'll crack,_ he thought, noting that every seat was filled. He neither smiled nor frowned; his face was still as a porcelain doll.

"We have heard you have an amendment to the report." Kazuya, one of Genichirou's ambitious uncles, seemed to be today's speaker. The Council rotated through its members that liked to volunteer.

"Yes." Fuji's eyes stayed shadowed beneath his bangs, which had grown long in the past year. "I would like to make it clear that my accomplishment is not as miraculous as it would seem. I am here today because during my captivity, Tezuka Kunimitsu drank my blood."

The Council erupted with murmurs, that quickly escalated to all out chatter. Normally, Fuji would have been amused by the chaos his statement had brought, but lately he couldn't feel anything. Not happiness, not sadness...

The elders finally settled down enough that one of them, his aunt Saori, was able to ask as question. "Just Tezuka? Not Atobe Keigo?"

Fuji shook his head. "... Tezuka is the one who captured me. He tasted my blood, then refused to let Atobe try it. He must have realized about the curse, though it was too late."

The murmurs increased again. 

_They would have found out that Tezuka drank my blood eventually,_ Fuji told himself. _This way, they won't know that I was hunting him._ Now he'd lied to them, to everybody... even Genichirou and Oishi didn't know.

"I'll submit a formal report, of course," Fuji continued, his voice ringing clear above the din. He felt a strange, sedated confidence, as if now that he had nothing to lose, he was free from nervousness and fear. "It seems Tezuka's strength of will has allowed him defy me thus far, but I believe it is only a matter of time, and perhaps quantity of blood, before he is under my control."

It was a complete lie, even worse than the one he'd told before. Even Fuji surprised himself at his bravado. He had no reason to tell them he'd ever be able to control Tezuka, especially when it probably wasn't true. As far as he could tell, his blood didn't do anything at all, other than make Tezuka want to feed more often.

_But I can't tell them why he really let me live._ But even as he thought it, Fuji felt troubled. _Why he let me...? I don't even know why myself._

But he couldn't take back his statement now.

"Well then, Syuusuke, there's no need to humble yourself," Kazuya spoke loudly, quieting the chamber. "All hunters use their special abilities, no matter how particular, to accomplish their tasks. You have done well to end this case."

_Is that how they're wording it?_ Fuji felt his mind go numb. He didn't have to see the elders clearly to tell that they were pleased.

"You are dismissed," Kazauya finished. "Good job, young hunter."

Fuji turned his back to the elders, walking evenly towards the double doors - but then stopped when he heard a loud snort.

"Che." Many of the elders turned to look at the offending noise, which came from the back row. "A kid died, you know."

It was Echizen Nanijorou - he'd been turned in his late thirties, but Fuji knew he was the oldest council member there. He was exactly as rumored, wearing a messy black kimono, and it looked like he hadn't shaved in days.

"Of course," Kazuya picked his words carefully. "The sacrifice of his life will never be forgotten. But if the rebels had killed Yuuta, it would have been their victory - now, it is ours."

Nanjirou grumbled something, that Fuji thought from reading his lips looked like "bull shit", as he got up and took his leave. The other council members began to leave as well, and Fuji realized his interview was the end of their session; they would all be exiting along with him.

He pulled the doors open to make his escape, but there was little he could do as some of the elders came up and passed through with him. He now was stuck looking at what he'd avoided on the way in - Yuuta's coffin, elevated by a platform, sat glaringly in the hall. Their nation's flag lay over it, with a bouquet of fresh red roses on its center, though the cross etched into its lid was clear below it.

"Captured intentionally, in order to take care of the hostage," Kazuya slid up behind him, giving his shoulder a pat of confidence. "Very well done."

Syuusuke nodded, his expression unchanged.

"You needn't worry about the exchange with Atobe," the dark haired man continued, as if this were something of value to the teen. "Eventually we'll get him to drink your blood, too." He gave a nod of parting, and one last smirk as he added. "We're counting on you."

The other elders passed him by, some stopping to touch the coffin lid, a few even leaving flowers. But mostly their attention was brief, and Fuji knew even he couldn't stay long, or risked showing that he was attached.

"Syuusuke." A painfully familiar voice rang softly behind him.

"Father," Fuji turned in greeting , his voice almost breaking.

His father nodded in response, but his eyes looked away. He had neither a smile or a frown, just sad, distant eyes. "I'll be taking leave for a few weeks, to tend to your mother. She's resting at home."

Fuji didn't know what to say. He'd heard his mother had been terribly ill, ever since the exchange... already she had been sick with grief from the day Yuuta had been kidnapped, and his father had been more distant than ever.

"Come see her" were his parting words.

Fuji sucked in his breath. He had wondered if his mother would want to see him, the murderer of her child, but... if his father was making such a request, then he knew he had to go eventually, for both of his parents' sakes.

He wanted to see them, to return to his family's estate. He wanted to hug her, to be cradled by her, to be a child again, warm and safe and happy in her arms. But another part of him was terrified, that he would see in her eyes the blame and accusations that he saw in his own every time that he looked in the mirror.

He knew he couldn't live either way, so he clamped down on whatever emotions he had left, forced them into a box and locked them as far down as he could. The last of the elders made their way by him - but they saw no tears, no sorrow or anger on his face - only the small, simple smile that he always wore, from the time he was young.

But now, the smile was cold. The icy exterior he had so often been accused of having had become his interior as well.

* * *

“Thank you,” Yukimura smiled sweetly at the man, who gave him a grin back. He stepped out of the passenger side of the car, after giving the man a thank you kiss – it was the least he could do after hitchhiking. 

The car veered away, leaving him on the busy street curb, and he took a few cautious steps back from the traffic that flowed endlessly before him. It was still terrifying, seeing how fast the automobiles drove, and how many of them were in one place. He still remembered the first one he’d ever seen, the beautiful black Ford his family had owned that went even faster than their horses could run. 

_It’s been almost a hundred years since I was awake,_ he thought bitterly, digging his nails into his fist. _Technology was already changing so fast, even back then._ He steeled his teeth, determined not to let it get to him.

He’d been so terrified, so disoriented when he first awoke. It had been so dark, so quiet, and he’d been trapped in that coffin… thinking about it now, he supposed he was lucky he hadn’t been buried under ground. _But that’s not what that coffin was for._ The thought sent a spark of anger through him, which he quickly clenched.

He pulled his coat tight around him, and tried to stroll normally down the street. He watched how the others walked around him, how they were dressed, the expressions they made. He knew that the people holding their hands to their ears weren’t talking to themselves – a teenage boy in the town he’d just come from had shown him a cell phone, and explained the whole thing to him while laughing. He didn’t understand the technology at all, but telephones had always been amazing to him, so he supposed it made sense that a hundred years in the future, a telephone would be smaller than a shoe, and not attached to any sort of wires.

_But this isn’t the future, it’s the present,_ he corrected himself. The cell phones were strange, but so far, it was only the cars that were frightening. Especially he’d learned, from the older woman who was the first person he’d met after waking, how many people died because of cars. He couldn’t remember anyone having died because of an automobile back in his days, but then again, other than his family and the Fujis, he couldn’t remember anyone else who owned one.

The town he’d been in had been different, weird in many ways, but it wasn’t extraordinary. But the city, now that he’d finally reached it, was something else. He couldn’t believe buildings could be so high; the first thing he was going to study, he decided, was modern architecture. He’d never liked being in crowds of people to begin with, but now they were everywhere, and wearing everything, and he had already told himself he was not going to be caught ogling at anyone’s bizarre hair color. And according to the man who’d driven him here, this was a _small_ city, so small it only had one major train line, and no subways.

_It’s too bad,_ he thought. If automobiles and telephones had changed this much, he’d wanted to see what the subway was now like.

He’d convinced the man, and the other handful of townspeople he’d met, that he’d be fine here on his own. He knew if he stayed in any place for more than a few days, he’d get comfortable and settle into learning about the modern world from where he was, which was something he couldn’t afford to do. 

He had much more important things to do.

The townspeople he’d met had all known what vampires were. He supposed it was because they were so close to the mansion he’d been kept at, that most of them had had contact with vampires who he believed from their descriptions were all Atobe’s offspring. The woman who he’d met, when he’d feebly stumbled towards, had screamed when she first saw him, naked and starving, but stayed to help. She’d given him her coat, which he still wore now, not caring at all if it was a woman’s style, and he’d even taken a little of her blood. She’d blushed, saying she was married, but that she still remembered when she was younger, being visited occasionally by a handsome vampire named Yuushi. 

She didn’t ask him any substantive questions, having come to her own conclusions about who and what he was, for which he was grateful, and she answered all of his. He could tell she was amused, and he did his best to not let on _how_ out of touch he was with all things modern, and saved most of what he wanted to ask for different people. She’d told him a little about the town he was in, that everyone there had met a vampire at some point or another, usually when they were in high school or still in their twenties, that no, there’d never been any murders from blood feeding, though they’d all heard about such things, and that he should be careful if he ever went to the city, which she said was only thirty miles away.

“Sometimes, there are vampires hunters there,” she said in a low tone, as if this were terrible gossip. “Yuushi told me one of his friends was killed.”

This piqued his interest; as far as he knew, the Families were the primary force for keeping vampires in line. Whether it was them, or another group, he knew where he needed to go.

“The hunters never come here?” He asked, batting his eyes innocently. This woman clearly knew nothing about the infighting of the vampire clans, or the terrible history of the Families, or that all the vampires she had met or seen around town were most likely his enemies.

“Oh no, because we never report them,” she smiled, looking a little too proud. “My husband’s on the city council, and he says we get inquiries from time to time, but of course we protect all of you.”

_Which is why they’ve never killed any of you,_ Yukimura concluded. This was a good hiding place for them, then. They could get whatever supplies they needed from the town, and because they never went beyond their bounds, the town protected them in turn. _The twins are far too clever to operate like the rebel clans of old._

He’d gotten shoes, and underclothes, and one of her husband’s shirts, and then he’d headed on his way. He befriended a few others – he was still horribly blood deprived, even now, and he knew it was a miracle of the bewitched coffin that he was still alive after not having fed for nearly a century – and learned more from them too. He knew he had to get out of the town, before any of the twins’ offspring noticed he was around, and he also wanted to find those from the Families as soon as possible. 

After a frustrating four days, he’d finally come to understand that he could get to the city easily by car, and Junpei, the man he’d charmed that morning, said he could take him there.

He melded into the crowds. He didn’t have any specific plan, but he had confidence he would figure out what to do. The number of people was daunting but he refused to be overwhelmed.

_I have to know what happened after Keigo…_ He bit the inside of his lip, and brushed his hands against his coat. He noticed eyes kept looking at him low – he didn’t know why, his legs weren’t any more exposed than the women that kept passing him, with their strappy high heels and petite skirts. But the woman’s husband’s pants had been far too big for him, and he didn’t know how to ask the teenage boy he’d talked to for a pair of pants, especially when he noticed the teen _looking_ , so he’d gone for information instead. Beside, the coat went down far enough, and he already felt bad about taking the obviously expensive garment with him.

He still wasn’t sure what to do, but he noticed some benches in front of a café, and decided to take a seat on one of them. He crossed his legs, careful to tuck down the edge of the coat, which usually came to his knees but now slid halfway up his thighs, and hoped he looked like he was waiting for someone.

In a way, he was.

* * *

Sanada needed to go hunt something.

That was what he decided, after hearing Fuji’s report in the Council chamber. He was furious the petite brunette had blindsided him by not previously telling him the news; he’d been thinking that Fuji would correct the elders of their conclusions, explain how it was that Yuuta really died, and or - or - or something. 

Not this. Not after he and Fuji’s parents had fought so hard against the council, to ensure no incidents like that disastrous night at the masquerade happened again. He wanted to storm over to the brunette, and shake him till some sense churned inside his brain. 

_He’s not my problem, he’s no longer on my team,_ Sanada told himself, trying to convince himself not to feel guilty for having pushed the delicate nineteen year old away. 

He pulled up the weekly map, marking out the places that hunters were currently patrolling, and picked a place where no one was, but that had a high incidence rate of vampirism. 

He spent most of the day strolling. His long officer’s coat and the sword belted to his waist drew some attention, but all eyes averted if he so much as glanced their way. This was nothing covert; he hadn’t even informed the organization he’d be out here, so his only excuse would be if he happened to see an incident passing by.

_As if that would happen_ , he snorted internally, knowing he was being foolish. _I should have just gone to the shooting range._

He passed by a café, annoyed at having to walk off the curb because of the handful of people crowding in front of it, then stopped and turned around after overhearing what they were saying.

Now that he was paying attention, he realized that three guys, maybe in their twenties, were surrounding someone on the café’s bench. Their intentions were obvious; they kept looking between the benchwarmer’s delicate, elfish face, and the long, exposed legs crossed over each other.

_I wonder if they know it’s a guy,_ Sanada thought, somewhat amused at how they were chatting him up. The coal haired commander was used to effeminate men, between Fuji, and well, all of his teammates, and vampires, who often beautified themselves. There were all sorts of little giveaways – the flat chest, the slightly broader shoulders and neck, and the ankle boots he was wearing were obviously masculine in style. Even his hair was quite short for a woman, but it was also on the lengthy side for a man; wavy, midnight blue strands that cupped around his face and slid over his nape.

Even if they did know it was a guy, he could understand their interest. The more he looked, the more he realized that this man was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen.

The guys were starting to get touchy.

“Excuse me,” he strolled towards them, his face fixed its usual Spartan frown, that Niou said was enough to scare ghosts. It seemed to work; the guys looked up at him, looked down at his sword, and looked up at him again.

“Oh, there you are, I’ve been waiting for you.” The man on the bench looked up at him through dark, curling lashes, his lips turned up in a small, gentle smile. His voice matched everything about him – tender, inviting, effeminate and just a bit throaty.

The three guys looked at the beau on the bench, then back at him, and he looked back at them; they looked at each other and practically scampered away, muttering something about “fucking taken”.

He looked down at the effeminate man, his charcoal orbs meeting midnight blue ones. “If you felt they were bothering you, I guess I can take my leave,” he said hoarsely. He turned slowly, hearing the faint creak of the bench as the lithe being stood.

Sanada took measured steps, turning into the first narrow alley he found. He stopped after a few hundred feet, and turned around to come face to face with the elfin faced beauty.

“I’m glad you followed me.” His voice rumbled in the empty space.

The lithe man slipped both hands in his coat pockets, shrugging. “Who wouldn’t follow a tall, dark, and handsome man with such a long sword?”

Sanada’s temple twitched with annoyance, his frown forming deep wrinkles into his cheeks.

“I suppose this is where I say thank you?” The man’s smile grew, as if he were amused by Sanada’s silence.

“I wasn’t saving you,” the hunter growled. He put his hand on his sword, and slowly began to draw the blade. “I was saving them.”

“And what on earth were you saving them from?” Those blue eyes twinkled daringly.

“From being eaten by a vampire.” He pointed his blade straight at that elfish face. _Perhaps this trip was not so foolish after all._

“That’s a terrible pick-up line.” The wavy haired being still sounded amused.

“It’s not just your looks or pale skin.” Sanada’s eyes never wavered, but neither did the other’s. “You weren’t intimidated by them at all. Even though there were three of them, and they were practically asking to screw you all at once, you kept flirting back. You were preparing for your meal.”

The lovely faced vampire burst out laughing, his chin dipping so that his bangs fell over his face, hiding his eyes. “I wouldn’t have killed them, if that’s what you were thinking.”

“There’s no proof of that,” the hunter snarled. “And the fact you were trying to feed from unknowing strangers is more than enough proof you’re with the rebels.”

“It is?” The vampire blinked, this time seeming genuinely surprised.

But Sanada was done chit-chatting. He gave no warning other than his stance, before charging forward with a roar, his sword high over his head.

The vampire easily side stepped his swing, But Sanada followed up with a side slash, forcing the other to defend with a raised hand and hardened claws.

“I would like to return this coat in one piece,” the vampire smiled, but his eyes narrowed as he stepped backwards and jumped lightly onto an empty crate.

Sanada didn’t give him a chance to counter, slashing at his feet and forcing him to stay on the move. The vampire couldn’t dodge all of his swings, often blocking with his claws, but even then his movements were minimalistic, even the fingers he had hardened mostly maintained their shape and looked more like designer gloves that matched his coat.

But the hunter was in no way daunted. In terms of speed, they seemed evenly matched, and while the limber vampire mostly wove skillfully out of his blade’s way, Sanada was getting in more and more hits. He was in no way tired; in fact, he could feel his stamina increase as he finished warming up and his blood began to pound. That sly, entertained smile was beginning to vanish off the vampire’s face.

* * *

Yukimura began to realize he was in trouble.

He had not expected the hunter to be this strong. And while he knew he was still faster, more skilled, and far more experienced, already he was starting to feel the enervating effect of his century long captivity, the waning of what little energy he’d gathered in the last few days. _I really needed that meal,_ he thought, but it was too late to regret following the hunter now.

His eyes flickered to the insignia on Sanada’s coat. _I suppose even a man as young as this can become a commander if he’s talented enough._ His eyes grew hard, his smile finally gone. _I guess I’ll have to take this seriously._

Those coal orbs were so focused on him, on his every muscle, on his every twitch. He fluttered his lashes, an out of place move in the middle of a fight, drawing the dark ovals to meet his own midnight colored orbs.

The sword still swung down sharply, but it missed him by nearly a foot.

“Wha- what?! Shit!” The hunter yelled, slashing vertically at the air, several steps away from where Yukimura now stood. “What the hell did you do to me?” The blade flew out wildly, but now evading it was merely a matter of taking a few steps back.

“It’s not permanent,” Yukimura cooed, feeling a little bad for the thrashing hunter, who flushed with sweat as he arched his blade around him in a hysterical defense. 

“Is this your ability?!” The hunter roared, stepping backwards and jutting out his sword. “To blind people?!”

“A part of it.” Yukimura timed his movement carefully. “I could take away your hearing as well, but I really just want to talk to you.” He brought up his hand with measured swiftness, catching the blade on its side and gripping it firmly with his palm. Even with the entirety of his strength, he was only able to bend the steel slightly, but the hunter was so panicked he lost his grip. The sword flew up and landed several feet away. 

At the same time, the vampire used his other arm to grab the hunter’s arm. He’d intended to lock the commander’s arms behind his back – but to his shock, the hunter swung his arm with incredible power, lifting the lithe vampire entirely off the ground and slamming down with his entire body weight.

Suddenly Yukimura found himself pinned on the ground, the hunter was on top of him, using his weight to keep him down, and even though he was blind, managed to find each of Yukimura’s wrists and hold them down with his hands.

He couldn’t move. He tried to pull himself up, but he was literally trapped on the floor, and with his hands flatted on their backs above his hand, extending his claws wouldn’t help him. This wasn’t just because his lack of blood, the vampire realized – this human was insanely _strong_.

They were both breathing hard, and the hunter was bearing his teeth, still blind, but Yukimura knew even if he took away the man’s sense of touch, the grip wouldn’t slacken. More likely, he’d be crushed.

“It looks like we’re at a stalemate,” he breathed, eyeing the fallen sword, which was way too far for the hunter to reach while keeping him pinned.

“I can still smash in your throat,” the hunter snarled.

“Fine, then, your win. I don’t mind if we stay this way, if you’ll let me talk.”

“You can talk all you want from your cell,” came the hoarse reply.

“That’s perfectly fine,” Yukimura sighed, “as long as you promise not to kill me.”

“Will you go quietly?” The hunter growled, his pupils dashing wildly from side to side, his breath hot against Yukimura’s skin.

“I swear on the blood of he who turned me, I won’t run or struggle,” the vampire smiled, his eyes following those charcoal orbs until finally they focused back on his face, once again taking in light. “ _Please_ , take me to your superiors.”

The hunter glared at him furiously, now that he had his sight back, but after several minutes of huffing and baring his teeth, seemed to finally decide to accept the peace offering of his returned vision, and pulled the vampire up.

Yukimura really meant his promise – of course he did, he’d been meaning to find a hunter and go with him all along – so he stayed pliant with every move the hunter had him make, even as he felt cuffs being snapped onto his wrist. He sighed heavily as he felt the enchanted metal begin to drain his strength, knowing this was so not what he needed when he was still so low on blood, but supposed it wouldn’t be too bad if he fainted, and tall-dark-and-handsome was forced to carry him.

* * *

They waited in a park, after Sanada used his cell phone to call someone to fetch them. Apparently it seemed that even in a car, it was several hours drive to wherever he was going to be taken. Yukimura kept his hands tucked in the sleeves of his coat, so no one would see the cuffs and ask questions.

“If you need a car to get here, why don’t you already have one?” Yukimura asked, giving the stone faced hunter a look of curiosity.

He even batted his eyelashes a few time, but the Spartan kept staring pointedly in front of himself, his lips in a tight, heavy frown, and he seemed to determined not to talk to the effeminate vampire.

“I came by car,” Yukimura offered. “But I got dropped off. Did you get dropped off, too?”

The hunter took out his phone, pressed a button so that the time lit up on the screen, then shoved it back into his pocket.

“In case you were wondering, I fed a little from the person who drove me here. That was before he drove me, though. So I didn’t kill him, and he had a very nice experience.”

The hunter turned his head to look directly away from him.

“Yukimura Seiichi.”

The hunter swiftly turned to look at him, his eyes glaring. “. . . What about him?”

Smiling at his success in getting his resentful captor to respond, Yukimura continued, “That’s my name.”

The hunter stared at him suspiciously, then resealed his lips, as if deciding not to talk to him again.

“What’s your name?” The vampire prodded, arching his neck just slightly to meet the eyes of the much taller man.

“. . . What’s the point of you saying that?” The hunter mumbled.

“Saying what?”

“That you’re Yukimura Seiichi.”

Frowning, the bluenette replied, “Because that’s who I am. . . . Though I suppose it’s nice to know that I’m remembered. I was certain I’d fallen to obscurity by now.”

The commander looked like he wanted to yell at him, then clenched his teeth, crossed his arms and legs, and looked stubbornly forward.

Yukimura sat back with a ghost of a smile. “I told you my name, so why don’t you tell me yours?”

The hunter shifted conspicuously, as if wondering what he had to do to get his captive to stop talking.

Yukimura decided to give him a few moments of silence to fret over it.

“ . . . So what –”

“I took the train.”

Blinking, Yukimura bent forward to get a better view of the hunter’s face. “What?”

“To get here. I took the train.”

“How interesting! Was it fast?”

“It wasn’t a bullet train.”

“What’s a bullet train?”

“… Are you really Yukimura Seiichi?”

“As you said yourself, what’s the point in me lying about it?”

“To convince me to let you go.”

Yukimura’s smile widened. “Even if you believed me, it would be stupid to let me go. As far as you know, I’ve allied with Kunimitsu and Keigo and that’s why after a hundred year disappearance, here I suddenly am.”

The hunter shifted uncomfortably. “Now you’re just trying to confuse me.”

Laughing, Yukimura cheerfully replied, “Teach you, yes. I don’t mean to confuse. It’s just… that’s what I would think.”

“If… you are Yukimura Seiichi, then… why now?” Nostrils flaring, the hunter clenched his arms. “We… they say that you’re _dead_.”

“Is that what Keigo told everyone?” Yukimura said darkly, his smile falling flat.

Blinking, the hunter’s lips formed a frowned, “Err… no, actually. According to the history books, he went around telling everyone you were alive but he’d beaten and captured you, but no one ever _saw_ you so…”

“So you do believe me.” Yukimura’s smile reappeared, hearing how the hunter was now referring to him in context.

“. . .”

“He wasn’t lying.” The vampire’s voice dropped into a frustrated whisper. “I… he kept me imprisoned in a special box, a coffin really, an ancient tool of the Yukimura family that keeps its prisoners … in a coma, you would say. I don’t know why… he should have killed me. I don’t know why I woke up, either. But no one was around, so… I ran.

“To me, it’s only been four days since I fought in the war. But I learned that for the world, it’s been almost a hundred years.”

Now with his mood fouled, Yukimura didn’t feel like talking any more. He sat back against the bench, and they waited in peaceful silence. Small birds fluttered down at their feet, looking up at them as if asking for crumbs, before realizing they didn’t have any food and winging off towards other passerbys.

A black car pulled up on the curb nearest to them, its windows tinted so dark that Yukimura couldn’t see inside. Its back lights started blinking as it parked, and a dark skinned man, without a strand of hair on his head, stepped out of the driver’s seat.

“Sorry for the wait, Commander,” the man spoke kindly. He also wore a hunter’s trench coat, though his insignia showed a much lower rank.

“It’s fine, Jackal,” said commander grunted, though his voice seemed anything but. The Spartan grabbed his prisoner by the elbow and forced them to stand up together, pulling him with far more force than necessary towards the car.

“You - … !” Jackal’s jaw dropped, his eyes bulging as he stared at the wavy haired vampire. “You look just like Yukimura Seiichi!”

“He does?!” The commander yelled.

“Don’t I?” Yukimura smiled.

He was starting to like this straightforward commander, even if he seemed to be a bit of an idiot.

* * *

Jackal accepted Yukimura’s story much more easily, saying how he recognized the effeminate vampire from his portrait. In fact, he seemed a little too accepting and excited for the bluenette’s taste. _It’s like he thinks I’m some sort of war hero, even though I lost,_ the vampire cringed.

At least the commander had enough foresight to leave on the cuffs, which was what Yukimura would have done if their roles were reversed, though he could still feel their enervating effects taking their toll.

“So now will you tell me your name, Commander?” The vampire cooed, shifting a little closer to the broad hunter on the cushioned back seat.

“. . . Sanada Genichirou,” the hunter grunted. “And if you really are Yukimura Seiichi… then, sorry.”

“Sanada? You’re from the branch family?” The bluenette blinked in surprise. He knew that the Sanadas were filial servants of the Yukimuras, samurai who had once pledged their undying loyalty to the Family, but he had not realized they were so strong. “I thought you all were killed with the Yukimuras.”

“We did not have that honor,” Sanada’s voice trembled, as he too was deeply moved by old stories. “But we have allied with the Fuji family, to continue to fight as guardians. That is our punishment, for failing the main house.”

Yukimura nodded, moved by the young man’s commitment . _They have not forgotten their roots,_ he thought, his fingers curling and his lids dropping closed. _And they have not forgotten me. This..._ He breathed out, relaxing into the seat’s soft cushion.

_Everything will be okay._

* * *

It did not take long to confirm Yukimura’s identity. The vampire was fast asleep when they arrived, and Sanada cursed himself for not noticing the bluenette’s fever and removing the spell binding cuffs sooner. 

While Oishi performed a physical on the unconscious vampire, Sanada hurried to make a report to the elders. Only half the Council was able to attend with such short notice, but at least Sanada had brief entertainment over their panicked chatter, before hearing his instructions.

“It isn’t a problem,” he nodded, and shoved his arm stiffly against his side as he saluted. 

They dismissed him, and he was sure they would continue their discussions well into the night, especially as council members kept dribbling in.

* * *

The moment he woke up, Yukimura took himself on a tour around the headquarters, even though Oishi insisted he stay and rest.

“I’ve rested long enough, don’t you think?” He smiled reassuringly at the doctor, who looked like he was about to have a panic attack, or maybe just a case of dehydration with all the sweat pouring off his brow. _He’s probably supposed to keep me here,_ he thought. 

_And they’re right to be suspicious of me. However… as_ I _know I’m not their enemy, therefore, it’s perfectly fine for me to walk around on my own._

And thus he strolled out with a farewell wave, leaving the doctor torn between staying at his station and making a report or chasing after him.

He was enjoying looking out the long windows, admiring both the architecture and the garden. _What they need is a patch of roses,_ he decided, making a mental note to plant some once he was settled in. He doubted the art of gardening could have changed in a hundred years.

He had almost made it to the hall’s end, when he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see a stubble faced man behind him, scratching his chin, with dark, shaggy hair and goldish green eyes. 

“Errr.... hey,” he said, his manner sheepish and as farcical as his clothes. He was wearing a black robe that didn’t even cover his ankles, and nothing else, not even socks or slippers, and the robe looked like it had been thrown in a hurry, poorly tied and barely tightened. He seemed to notice Yukimura’s disapproving stare, and scratched the back of his head, his lips pulled into a loopy grin.

“Hello,” the vampire cooly replied. 

“Um, we just had this meeting between the elders, I mean, today’s elders, and we heard that you escaped and um.... long time no see?”

Dark blue eyes widened as Yukimura’s lips fell open in a gape. “... Nanoji?!”

“Awe, it’s been awhile since anyone called me that,” Nanjiroh grinned. “Look at me, all old now... I waited a bit before deciding to get turned, so I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me.” 

It wasn’t just the ten or so extra years of age on his human body, Yukimura knew, his eyes widening as the weight of his long sleep finally hit him. Nanjiroh had _aged_... had experienced decades more than he.... it was Yukimura now, who was the younger, and the man before him didn’t even have the same mannerisms, the same twitching expressions that the bluenette remembered always seeing, _even though for me, it’s been hardly a week since we last met._

But Nanjiroh was alive. Happy, and alive.

“I... I’m so glad,” Yukimura spoke quietly, unable to break the awkward air that permeated between them. “That you made it out alright.”

“Shucks,” Nanjiroh grinned. “I can’t even tell you how glad I am to know you’re alive! I mean...” He shifted his weight onto one foot. “... it’s been decades and.... I didn’t realize that you got turned so _young._ ”

“. . . I didn’t have the time to wait,” Yukimura smiled softly. There was so much to say, so much to catch up on... but right now, not a single question came to the bluenette’s mind. 

“Um...” Nanjiroh scratched the back of his head with one hand, and his chest with the other. “Oh, hey! Do you want to see my kid?”

Yukimura almost felt his jaw drop. He hadn’t realized, he hadn’t really thought that... that... it wasn’t only age, and war, and experience. The world had really moved on without him... in every way.

“Isn’t he cute?” Nanjiro held out his cell phone, pointing to its screen. A boy looked up at the camera, an angry pout on his face, though half his head and one of his eyes was hidden under the brim of a baseball cap. 

“He looks just like you,” Yukimura smiled, his eyelids drooping as he leaned closer to the screen.

“You think so?” Laughing happily, Nanjiro grinned, “Fights just like me too! He’s a tough kid.” 

_I wonder where they found him,_ Yukimura thought with a frown. Vampires couldn’t have their own children, and he knew the Echizens would be very careful when selecting who to adopt. _Who else from the clan survived the war?_

He opened his mouth to ask, but didn’t get a chance when he heard a deep voice yell from behind him, “Yukimura!”

He turned to see Sanada standing at the front of the hall, red faced and huffing, his cheeks sunken in as he frowned.

Yukimura returned the grimace with a close lipped smile, and gave a little wave before turning back around.

Nanjiro was gone.

“Yukimura... sama,” Sanada huffed, jogging over to him. “ _Please_ don’t go off on your own. I’ll, err, show you around -”

“Why not?” Yukimura’s tone was innocently light, but his smile was challenging. _Why can’t I go off on my own?_

“Um....” Black pupils looked pointedly away, but at the wall where there was nothing to look at. “It-it’s a big complex, you might get lost.”

Yukimura stared at him for a moment, before turning away with a grin. “At least my guard is a poor liar,” he laughed. “I suppose I shouldn’t give you _too_ hard of a time. At least you will keep me company.” He strolled through the door to the garden, amused when his tall warden scrambled after him.

“I, um,” Sanada growled, “I should show you to your room.”

“I’m not tired,” Yukimura replied. “I’ll explore while it’s still light.”

“I _am_ going to show you to your room.” Now Sanada’s voice was firm, as was his hand as he grabbed the wavy haired bluenette by the wrist.

Lips pulled into a thin line, Yukimura turned to glare at him as he tugged away. It was futile to try and get out of that iron grip, he realized. 

He knew he shouldn’t be upset, he thought, as he towed back into the hall. These people didn’t know him, they weren’t the same companions he’d fought with against the twins. It was obvious that this was not the same unity of the Families that he’d been a part of, and they had no reason to believe him when he explained why he’d been gone for so many decades.

_Even Nanjiroh is not the same,_ he thought with a cringe. _They may not be my enemies, but I have no allies here._

At least with this new direction, he was able to get a feel for the shape of the main building, its symmetrical shape and long, branching wings. He tried to keep track of how far they went from the infirmary - all the way to the opposing wing, and up two flights of stairs. Sanada's hand on his wrist was warm, but he wished the Spartan had a better sense of civility to at least switch to holding his hand directly.

The hallway on the third floor was different than the others. The doors here were all the same, simple, white, and close together. At least one side of the hall was entirely windows showing out into the entry courtyard, keeping the place from having a claustrophobic feeling.

_Are they going to lock me up here?!_ Already he could feel his blood start racing. So far, they'd seemed to treat him as an important person, so he hadn't thought they'd go so far as to imprison him.

He quickly considered his options - strong as it was, with a bit of surprise he could break free of the commander's hold, jump through the window and land reasonably safely on the ground. It'd be unrealistic to think he wouldn't be hurt at all, but it wasn't as if he had the same limits as humans. More importantly, he needed to be sure not to break any bones, so he could make a run for it. _But then where would I go?_

"You'll be staying here in the dorms with the other officers," Sanada's deep voice rumbled, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He turned his head to look up at the tall hunter, who stared back at him with serious eyes. _He saw what I was thinking in my expression,_ Yukimura realized, pressing his lips together. He took a quiet, long breath through his nose, and forced himself to relax.

"My room is here," Sanada tapped on one of the doors. "You're in the room next - "

The door two rooms down creeped open, its occupant stepping into the hallway. A boy... no, a young man, with hair swaying loosely over his ears and jaw, turned to look at them, his motions slow, as if he were moving through water. He wore oversized pajamas, lightly colored with thin blue stripes, making him look even skinnier than he probably was, and though his chin tucked downwards, he looked up at them with a cool, almost sharp gaze.

“Sanada. I thought I heard your voice,” the boy said, his voice as frail sounding as he looked. 

“You’re slacking off, sleeping in the middle of the day,” Sanada growled, frown deepening into thick wrinkles. Yukimura felt the grip on his wrist tighten.

“I don’t have a team yet, so I don’t have any assignments,” came the soft, unphased reply. Those cold blue eyes fell on Yukimura, and a small, close mouthed smile appeared on the boy’s face. 

_Yumiko..._ Yukimura thought, unable to keep the sick feeling from churning in his gut. This boy was an exact replica of her, if she’d been male and had shorter hair. 

“I’m still your superior officer,” Sanada interrupted his reminiscing with his deep, angry tone. “And your behavior is unacceptable. You should be scouting members for your team, or studying the rules of your new position.”

The tension between them was palatable, and only grew when the two hunters entered a silent glaring match. Yukimura decided to pull his arm out of the Spartan’s grasp before his wrist became dislocated.

“Perhaps you’d like to introduce us,” Yukimura smoothly interrupted their stiffening match. “I’m Yukimura Seiichi. You must be Fuji.....?”

If the boy was surprised at being recognized, he didn’t show it. _He looks so much like the Fuji of old, perhaps it isn’t surprising._

“Fuji Syuusuke,” the lithe hunter quietly responded. “I heard you were coming. They were rushing to clearing out a room for you.”

Whatever else he’d heard remained unsaid, as the brunette tacitly changed his focus back to Sanada.

“End this behavior and go change,” the muscle built hunter coldly admonished. “All officers are to report for a special briefing at twenty-one hundred hours.” 

The brunette gave him one last look, before turning silently and slipping back into his room. The door closed with hardly a click, but it still sounded as if it’d been slammed.

_Well that was interesting,_ Yukimura mused, pursing his lips and feeling a touch bitter. From the tense exchange, it seemed there was something more between the two hunters then just rivalry. _A feud between lovers?_

Sanada stared rather intensely at the brunette’s closed door, the pained concern on his face unmistakable. It was entertaining, the possibility of someone like Sanada having a lover - and such a frail looking boy, too - but it also bothered the bluenette. Even though he knew he had no right, he was beginning to feel he had a little claim on the Spartan hunter. After all, Sanada was the only one he knew here ... he didn't know Nanjiroh, not any more.

"... Broken heart?" Yukimura asked, trying to pry some hints out of his stone faced guard.

"Someone close to him just died." Sanada rapped on the next door, not looking at Yukimura as he replied.

"Hmm.” Humming, the bluenette lightly asked, "His lover?"

"His little brother."

Which meant his lover was still fine, and possibly in the dorm room next to him, Yukimura thought with a frown.

No one responded to the knocking, so Sanada dug a key out of his pocket and opened the door himself. He waved Yukimura, then closed the door the moment the vampire stepped inside. 

“Knock if you need anything - we’ll have dinner in an hour,” the hunter grunted before closing the door completely.

Sighing, Yukimura took a look around, but it only took a few minutes before he’d seen all there was to see. The room was small compared to what he was used to, but large for a barrack. It had it’s own bathroom, with a western style toilet and shower, like the ones he’d seen at the woman’s house. Against the wall was a small desk, and near it a low table, just the right size for a kotatsu, though he didn’t see a recession for charcoal. 

_Of course there isn’t, we’re on the third floor,_ he chided himself, knowing he was silly to expect such luxury. But like everything else he had encountered, the little changes that time had wrought were obvious, from the style of the furniture to the simple way it was carved. 

Other than that, there was nothing there. It was obvious the room had been cleared out in a hurry. He found a futon and two yukatas in the closet, and he knew he’d have to make obtaining more clothes and amenities his first order of business.

He was bored with the room only a moment after he’d entered it, and he had no intention of sitting at the desk for an hour. Besides, he still had that garden to explore.

He turned open the door, only to find the knob wouldn’t turn.

Frowning, he tried jerking the door back and forth, but it was obviously locked.

He wasn’t sure whether to be angry or amused.

He knocked. Barely a few seconds passed and he could hear the key being jammed clumsily into the knob, and the door yanked open, revealing a puffed up Sanada behind it.

_He was waiting outside the door..._ Yukimura couldn’t help but smile in amusement. “Were you planning on waiting there the whole time?”

Sanada grumbled something to himself, before barking out a reply. “It’s my responsibility to escort you. Is there something you need?”

_Plenty of things,_ Yukimura thought, frowning now that the amusement wore off. _But the problem is, how long am I supposed to be escorted..._ There’d been no end date in that explanation. 

“Jaa,” Yukimura put on a charming smile, his eyes crinkling up a bit. “Let’s start with some slippers, shall we? Then we can move on to soap.”

“Our assistants are preparing everything you need.” Neither Sanada’s frown nor body looked like it was going to budge. 

“.... How about that tour, then?” Yukimura sighed. “You did promise to show me around...”

The general practically barred his teeth, before taking a step back. “. . . I’ll take you downstairs.”

Smile turning genuine, Yukimura stepped out with a bit of a bow, now that there was no longer a boulder blocking the doorway. He could think of several ways to have escaped on his own, but he had come here to find allies, and he doubted he was going to make them by causing trouble for one of their top ranked hunters.

As promised, Sanada took him down two flights of stairs, and straight into a dining area. It was small enough to be private, for officers, Yukimura supposed, as it had a handful of large round tables.

Sanada guided them over to one of them, and motioned for Yukimura to have a seat, before taking one himself.

Raising an eyebrow, the vampire followed the hunter’s lead.

They sat there until dinner was served.

* * *

Sanada took on his new assignment with the same diligence as he did every other task.

Over the next few days, he spent every night parked outside Yukimura’s door. He had been trained in the ways of the samurai; sleeping while sitting up was a simple feat. It didn’t matter that his own bed was in the room next store - he didn’t trust a small knob lock to keep caged the legendary vampire. 

If the vampire knocked, which he did annoyingly often on that first night, Sanada woke instantly. Most of the time, he just shoveled the bluenette right back into the room. It was never as simple as just asking the vampire to go to bed; he always had to promise the bluenette something, from mundane but necessary things like a toothbrush, to mundane but unnecessary things like a flower vase, to ridiculous things like another cream puff from the cafeteria, like the one they’d had earlier for dessert.

Sanada had been inwardly terrified that this would be a nightly occurrence; but on the second night, Yukimura only knocked once, and not even once on the third night.

It helped that Sanada had been instructed to take Yukimura around the grounds during the day. The bluenette absorbed everything like sunlight. He loved the gardens - almost obsessively so, and asked over and over again if he could take a few flowers. Sanada had finally given in, unable to see how a few flowers for that empty vase could do any harm, though he still made the bluenette stand on the sidewalk while the hunter shoved into the bushes to get the large white lilies - or whatever they were - from near the bottom of their stems, as he had to be instructed after somehow picking them wrong the first few times. 

Gadgets - and well, anything that had come into existence in the last fifty or so years - generated a fountain of questions from the bluenette, who’d already requested a laptop and a cell phone. Thankfully he didn’t seem to know, or at least yet understand, what the internet was, so he didn’t seem to notice he’d been given one with the wireless disabled. He couldn’t do much with it anyway; he typed with two fingers, but Sanada had to admit it was a bit shocking how good the century old vampire became very quickly at the pre-installed windows games.

The computer brought Sanada quite a bit of relief, at least for about an hour, as Yukimura played around with it. But the vampire decided it was annoying to sit in one spot for so long, and wanted to go watch the young hunters train. Sanada decided it was the best request so far - he still had to recruit a new team member, anyway, as he’d already decided not to keep Marui. He couldn’t hand another trouble maker on the team, not along with Niou. 

It was strange, Sanada thought, how Yukimura greeted anyone they came across with such friendliness. It was as if he’d known all of them for years. There was always a hi, how are you, and tell me your name, and there was this smile, this sort of... gentle smile the bluenette donned, always blossoming onto his face, as if he was happy to be meeting again with an old friend. Sometimes he’d take their hand, and hold it for a moment. Sanada had lost track of how many hunters and servants had scurried away blushing.

It wasn’t just the vampire’s beauty. _He’s a true blood vampire, of course he’s beautiful,_ Sanada thought, but he knew it was more than that. Yukimura was not just beautiful on the outside; even someone as stiff with people as Sanada could tell that. 

But everyone in the organization knew who Yukimura was, had been told of his legendary battles before they’d even entered high school; he was everyone’s childhood hero. Sanada himself was no exception; he’d admired the tales of Yukimura Seiichi, even though they always made the listener sad... because everyone knew the tragic end. 

_Guess it’s not as tragic anymore..._

Sanada doubted there was a person there who hadn’t heard of Yukimura’s awakening, probably before the Council’s session had even ended on that first day. They all wanted to meet him; but they were all afraid to approach such a legend. 

So Yukimura approached them instead. And by the fourth day, no one was avoiding him anymore; they returned the greetings with anything from a cheerful yahoo, to a shy wave and a blush. 

Sanada was one of the few exceptions. He greeted the vampire each morning warily; followed him down to the breakfast table, always behind him by a bare half step; just enough to make sure the bluenette was never out of sight, or out of his grasp if need be. After their first battle, Sanada guessed that the only way to counter the vampire’s powers was to grab hold of him before the blindness caused him to lose his sense of spatial relations. 

He still didn’t know whether or not this was truly the legend he’d worshiped as a child, and in light of his duty, he knew it didn’t matter if it was. He would protect the organization, as its general.

But that in itself was a problem, because as a commander, he knew his duties could be put off no longer. He’d already forced Yukimura to spend half of every day with him in his office, just so he could do paperwork and bark out assignments. Thankfully the laptop kept the bluenette mostly busy, and Sanada noticed by the end of the week that the vampire had taught himself to properly type. 

But the requests hadn’t stopped, and he had to make up for every half day of work with a half day of going wherever the bluenette liked - so long as it was within the boundaries of the headquarters. Sanada had not forgotten his instructions.

At least the whole ordeal kept his mind of other things. Things weren’t really getting better with Fuji. The brunnette passed him every night in the hallway, but never said a word, not even making eye contact. Sanada was beginning to think he’d taken the wrong approach. He hadn’t meant to push his friend away, especially not at such a time... but he knew he couldn’t let Fuji fall before the Council. The small hunter had to stand tall, in his new position - it was was Yuuta would want as well, at least, Sanada thought so. 

He had another problem now. He could no longer continue shifting around the rotations, not while trying to keep both himself and Fuji, who he didn’t trust to face the world yet, out of the loop. 

He called his team members to his office. 

“I’m going out on patrol,” he announced. Yukimura instantly looked up from his game of spider solitaire, his eyes wide with interest. Sanada cleared his throat. “Yag.... no, Niou. You’ll accompany me. Yagyuu, I leave Yukimura in your care.”

“Hold on,” Yukimura clicked off his game, and slid fluidly off the couch. “Now that’s just rude. I’ve stayed under your watch all week - you have no right to ditch me now and go out on your own.”

“I’m not going to play -” Sanada growled.

“Ten times out of a ten, I’ll beat you in a match,” Yukimura said, airily as if he were talking about the weather, rather than making the most outrageous statement Sanada’d heard since becoming an officer. Though, if the legends about Yukimura were true...

“I beat you when we first met,” Sanada gruffly reminded him. Besides, this had nothing to do with Yukimura’s ability to handle errant vampires, and they both knew it.

“I wasn’t trying to fight you, then,” Yukimura shrugged. “I knew that if I used my real power, you would never trust me and bring me here.”

“Come _on_ , Sa~nada,” Niou interrupting, with the most annoying sing song slur. “Let Yuki-chan come. It’ll be fun!”

“Yuki-chan?!” Sanada roared, his face flushed like the setting sun. Yukimura giggled.

_The nerve!_ The general slammed his fist against his desk, silencing the wavy haired vampire. “Show some respect!” He couldn’t believe the familiarity his subordinate was acting with Yukimura - it was outrageous.

“Really, it’s funny,” Yukimura smoothly interjected. “But I can’t say it’s a name I agree with. Please, just call me Seiichi -”

“He’ll call you Yukimura!” Sanada snarled. “Or I will hold you in contempt, Niou Masaharu. I _am_ your superior officer, and this is an order!”

“Alright, Sa~nada,” Niou drawled. Sanada wanted to rip that annoying smirk off his face. If Niou wasn’t the perfect tactical compliment to Yagyuu, he’d have kicked the imp of an illusionist off the team a long time ago. 

“It’ll be troubling for me as well, however,” Yagyuu spoke with a unique seriousness of his own, “if you leave the two of us behind. You shouldn’t operate with the team at half-strength. It sets a poor example for the other teams. And I do not believe your instructions restrict you from letting Yukimura off the grounds, so long as you accompany him.”

Sanada swore under his breath, annoyed that the bespectacled hunter was right. Besides, he wasn’t supposed to leave Yukimura with any hunter other than himself... Yagyuu might not have the skills to outmatch the slim vampire, if he made any suspicious moves.

He'd arranged for the area closest to Headquarters, a large shopping district that was generally clean with high-end shoppers during the day, but drudged down to the light displays from bars at night. He wasn't expecting much from the mid-day shift, but at least by taking this route he'd be able to give Saeki's team a break. He didn't want any of the teams to work two shifts within the same twenty-four hours. There was a difference, he knew, between endurance and unnecessary fatigue.

In actuality, it wasn't as if the organization patrolled all areas at all times. They went on carefully spaced shifts, meant as a deterrent and a reminder to those vampires who dared to try to break the rules. It also helped with quick reaction time when there was an incident, usually called in by local police officers, or sometimes by well-informed citizens or their own private watch network.

Sanada ignored the shops and shoppers, focused on maintaining his stride and making his presence known. They caused only as much alarm as any armed officer would, as they were well known here. He kept his eyes glancing around, and paused when he noticed an elderly woman, teetering on her cane, very slowly pulled open one of the shop doors.

Swiftly he turned to open the glass door for her, and she gave him a broad smile as she wobbled inside. “Thank you, young man,” she said, and he bowed to her in acknowledgment.

When he straightened, he noticed Yukimura looking at the beautiful kimonos displayed in the shop window.

“I still don’t have much of a wardrobe...” Yukimura tilted his head to the side his slightly, his voice wistful. “I don’t suppose you would buy me one?”

The way his hair waved around his face, framing it gracefully, and the softness of his voice that surely matched his skin had Sanada thinking that the blue haired vampire would look very nice in a kimono indeed. He looked at the hand embroidered kimonos in the shop window, shaking his head as he reminded himself that this store only sold kimonos for women. But how to explain that to Yukimura...

“. . . You don’t think it would suite me?” His lips slightly parted into a pout, his dark blue eyes slightly gleaming.

“N-no, it’s not that,” Sanada stuttered. 

“That’s amazing,” he heard Yukimura say, and turned to his right to see Yukimura looking past him towards his left. He looked back to his left, and there was Yukimura, smiling at him....

“Niou!”

The trickster jerked back with a grin, once again looking like himself, just in time to avoid Sanada’s backhand. 

“Does your rudeness know no bounds?!” Sanada roared, face flushed red. He felt so stupid - Yukimura was from the past, of course he would recognize a woman’s kimono. He turned to the bluenette, his back and arms straight as he bent stiffly into a bow. “My apologies for my subordinate’s behavior.”

“Nothing to apologize for, I’m very impressed by your teammate’s ability,” Yukimura smiled kindly. “I feel like he does a better job impersonating me than I do myself!” 

Sanada growled warningly at Niou, who danced behind Yukimura with a sly grin of triumph. He would pay later, Sanada decided, during training.

“Sanada,” Yagyuu’s serious voice brought their attention to where he calmly stood to the side. “Sorry to interrupt, but my abilities have brought a particular object to my attention.”

Sanada gave his team member a sharp, sideways glance. “Is it one of the coins?”

“Coins?” Yukimura asked, looking between the two, then towards Niou, who shrugged.

“All the members of the twins’ rebel groups carry a coin, to identify themselves to each other,” the trickster grinned. “Ya~gyuu here has a special ability that lets him locate objects, so when he’s bor~ed he checks around to see if any are nearby.”

“There are two,” said Yagyuu, his glasses glinting in the midday light. “I believe they’re on the floor below us, most likely in the cafeteria.”

“Then they haven’t seen us yet,” Sanada nodded. “Niou -”

“On it ~ puri.” Niou swiftly strode away, except it wasn’t Niou in his hunter’s uniform, but a plain looking man with black hair and casual clothes. He made his way quickly towards the escalator in the center of the floor.

“Who do you think they are?” said Yukimura, following Sanada and Yagyuu as they headed towards the elevator more discretely located in a side corridor.

“No one important, if they think they can hang out this close to our headquarters and not be recognized,” Yagyuu said.

“But they may still have information that is useful to us,” Sanada determined. “We shall capture them alive.”

They stepped out of the elevator, and were greeted with the din of chaos.

There was a crashing sound, stampeding feet, and a lot of yelling. Niou stood a little too naturally in the middle of it, looking like himself again in his full uniform. Whatever he had done had caused a table and at least three chairs to end up overturned.

It was obvious who their two targets were. While all the other shoppers had dashed towards the stores, and were now staring with fascination at the cafeteria drama, two teenage boys - at least, that was what they looked like - were dashing about looking for an exit.

One of the two, a redhead with hair concealing one of his eyes and large headphones hanging around his neck, was dashing back and forth at an incredible speed, clearly only held back from escaping by his much slower, dark haired companion. The second vampire looked injured - he was limping slightly, and the redhead was trying to protect him, obviously put on guard by the appearance of a hunter.

It didn’t take them long to notice that two more hunters had appeared by the elevators, where they’d been headed. The redhead dashed sideways, and grabbed the nearest bystander he could find, drawing out his claws in threat.

Unfortunately for him, he had just grabbed Yukimura, the only member of the group not in uniform.

“Hmm...they turn children now, do they?” Yukimura tilted his chin up to look at Kamio mournfully, then calmly took hold of Kamio’s transformed hand and held onto it, ensuring that his capturer was also captured.

“F-fuck! You’re -” Kamio shook away his surprised, and used his speed to jerk his hand away. He took off in a dead run, his companion having limped his way to the front exit.

“What happened?!” Sanada roared, glaring daggers at Niou.

“Thought I saw a chance to grab ‘em - but that mumbly one has some weird power, or maybe he’s just crazy observant, cause he noticed me,” Niou shrugged. “Then the redhead started running in circles around me, knocking chairs at me - fucking flying chairs - and well, in case you didn’t notice, he’s pretty damn _fast_ -”

“We’ll never catch them now,” Yagyuu sighed.

Yukimura let out a long sigh, then placed his hand against Sanada’s arm.

“Yu - Yukimura?!” Sanada cried out, as the bluenette practically fainted against his chest. He didn’t seem completely unconscious, but each of his breaths came out long and slow.

He was so horrified by the sudden collapse of his ward, that he almost didn’t notice what was happening at the entrance to the shopping center.

“What are you doing? Stop, Akira, why are you taking me this way...”

Sanada looked up towards the strange mumbling sound, which despite being quiet had caught his attention as the bottom floor of the mall had mostly cleared out. To his shock, the two teen vampires were heading back towards them - the dark haired one was mumbling, as the redhead dragged him by the forearm back to where the hunters were.

Niou and Yagyuu looked at each other, blinked away their confusion, and then dashed towards the two, each grabbing one of the rebels and slapping on cuffs. The redhead didn’t even resist.

Yukimura’s hand shifted, pulling down on Sanada’s shirt for support. Simultaneously, the redhead jumped up half a foot, his jaw falling open as if he only now realized he’d been captured.

“Wha-what- what the fuck?!” The redhead shouted, glancing around wide but unable to escape now that Yagyuu had him firmly secured by the arms.

“... You got us captured,” the dark haired one murmured, sounding irritated but not as alarmed as he probably should have been. “Which I now realize is because of some terrible ability one of these hunters has. But you should still be better than that, and have fought it off, and not gotten us captured. Thanks to your failure, now we’ll have to go through a possibly endless period of imprisonment and torture, and even if we ever do escape, Tachibana-san will have lost faith in our abilities, and -”

He was still mumbling, but finally Sanada decided to tune him out, and instead turned his attention to the blue haired vampire that was slowly awakening in his arms.

“Sorry,” Yukimura smiled up at him, as he righted himself and took a few deep breaths. “If I’m not directly touching him, it takes a lot of concentration to use this power.”

“You - “ Sanada started, but then shut his mouth, knowing he should not discuss special abilities in the presence of their enemies. But he had so many questions, overwhelming him. _You have the power to control people. Why didn’t you control me, the day I captured you? How powerful are you, really?_

He waited until they had returned to headquarters, their prisoners secured, and were heading back towards the dormitories.

Yukimura smiled, as he always did, but a strange gleam entered his eyes. “As you saw, my ability goes beyond simply stripping people of their senses. I can take over each sense as my own, if I want to. If I’m focused enough, I can control a person completely. After all, a body’s movement is controlled by its senses, particularly the sense of touch.” He sighed, crossing his arms and cupping his elbows tightly. “It’s very different from mind control, but I suppose it has the same basic effect. But…”

“But what?” Sanada looked over at the bluenette, who was distressedly biting his lower lip.

“It really… does take a lot of focus. I… lost to Keigo because of it.” He clenched his arms, his fingers digging into his sleeves so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Sanada couldn’t help himself. He placed his hand over Yukimura’s tensed one, to calm him down.

He was thanked with a forlorn smile.

“I heard how you and your team brought Keigo down.”

Sanada snorted. “It was four of our top hunters against one. And it didn’t matter in the end.”

Yukimura replied with a slight nod. “I heard you traded him for the Fuji boy.”

Sanada chose to ignore the tacit question, _Why is Fuji Syuusuke so important,_ and address another problem he had with the vampire’s statement. “Fuji is already 19. He’s not a child, no matter how he’s been acting as of late.”

“Not a child at 19?” Yukimura quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m 19,” Sanada gave him a glare.

“Is that so...” Yukimura gave a dubious hum.

Speak of the devil: when they arrived at their dormitory floor, Fuji was treading down the hall. In the middle of the day, in his pajamas.

It took all of Sanada’s willpower not to slam his fist into the wall.

Fuji turned to look at them, his eyes cold and dull. Sanada decided he would deal with this, now.

“Fuji, you’ve been like this for too long. I’m assigning teammembers for you, starting with Kirihara.”

“That’s a bad idea,” Fuji said bluntly. “We don’t get along.”

“You can’t continue holding a grudge against him for injuring your brother during practice,” Sanada growled. “Kirihara is ready to be a hunter, and you’re in need of a team. I’m pairing you together.”

“I -” Fuji’s eyes widened at the mention of his brother. “I know I have no right to be angry at those who harmed Yuuta in the past... not me, of all people...” He looked down at the floor, his hands curling into fists that started to shake uncontrollably. “But...”

“But _what_?!”

“What if I don’t _want_ a team?!” Fuji glared up at him, brows furrowed. “I’ve... I’m tired. I’ve given up so much... I don’t have anything left to give you all.”

Yukimura had heard enough. Since he’d arrived, all he’d seen this child do was sleep, and go downstairs to eat.

He stepped in front of Sanada, and slapped Fuji across the face.

“What would you know of sacrifice?!” Yukimura’s voice was cold and deep, and echoed loudly in the otherwise silent hallway. It seemed as though Sanada and Fuji had stopped moving or breathing.

He didn’t wait for either of them to recover from their shock. He went into his room and slammed the door. 

He collapsed onto his bed, curling up among the sheets. He hadn’t realized using his power would leave him so exhausted.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon by the time Sanada finished writing his report in his office. He pinched his brow, sighing as he tried to picture how the council would interpret his conclusions. He knew he had to get back to Yukimura soon, as the vampire would be wanting out of his room to have dinner, and would also be upset at being locked in with no one there to let him out. But the bluenette had been sleeping when Sanada peaked in to tell him he had to go to his office, so Yukimura hadn’t been able to go with him.

There was a light knock on the door, which then swung open after Sanada didn’t give a reply.

Fuji crept in slowly. He was no longer in his pajamas, but properly in his uniform, which looked clean and pressed. A faint red mark marred his cheek, but otherwise he looked completely presentable.

He walked slowly towards Sanada’s desk, then placed his arms straight at his sides, and bowed deeply. His bangs fell in front of his face, but Sanada could see his earnestness in the way he struggled to keep his fingers straight.

“Commander Sana- ... Genichiro, I’m sorry.” Fuji breathed out slowly. “You’ve been there for me, this whole time, and all I’ve done is stay in my room and mope.”

Sanada let the brunette sift through the weight of his own words for several silent minutes, before deciding to respond. “Your apology will come through your actions. The teams are overworked, and I am in need of a competent lieutenant.”

Fuji tensed for a moment, then stiffly brought himself up. “. . . I’ll take over managing the schedules, and reviewing other teams’ reports.” Fuji glanced away for a second, before looking back at Sanada.

“Please don’t assign Kirihara to my group. He hates me even more than I do him. I’ll choose my own team soon, I promise.”

Sanada nodded in acknowledgement. He and Fuji had been training for this their whole lives - they were meant to lead the organization, as the heads of each of their families.

Fuji smiled softly, the first smile Sanada had seen from him since Yuuta’s death. No matter how hard the past few weeks had been on him, Sanada knew Fuji had the strength to accept the responsibilities being given to him, even if he no longer had his little brother to protect.

“Yanagi’s already completed the arrangements for your office,” Sanada stated. "I’ll decide what paperwork I want you to take over and arrange to have it delivered there instead of to me.”

Fuji nodded, then gave a quick, friendly salute before turning quickly for the door. He stopped just before closing it, giving Sanada one last look.

“Gen, one more thing.... you might want to stop guarding Yukimura’s door, and instead look out your window.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A litte more about Yukimura’s power:
> 
> To shut off someone’s sight, they have to look him in the eyes. To shut off their hearing, he has to speak to them and they have to be listening. To shut off / control their sense of touch, he has to have touched them. He can do it instantly if he’s touching them, but if he’s not it takes concentration. Taste would probably involve a kiss or something, and smell may involve breathing on them or something else - basically he never shuts off these two senses. He probably knows how to though.
> 
> And of course, more lovely artwork from neumegami:
> 
> ["Fuji Wakes"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/05-001%20Fuji%20Wakes_zpsasuppp3f.jpg)
> 
> ["The Elders"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/05-001%20Elders_zpsiumzx2ov.jpg)


	6. Rope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would have loved to posted a Happy Birthday fic for my favorite character - but I have some polishing to do, so here's the next chapter of PROPHECY instead. Fuji may not have a lover but he has friends, which may be better... maybe.

Yukimura waited a few minutes by his door, after he heard the lock click from the outside. He then went over to his bed, rearranging the blankets and pillows and stuffing some clothes under them so that it looked like he was buried beneath them. 

He pulled the chain out from under his bed. It was already clipped to a large weight that had been placed there, and he also appreciated the smooth rubber covering wrapped around it to make it easy on his hands. The future had such wonderful things.

_It was the second night of his partial imprisonment. Yukimura stepped into his room with a handful of casa blanca lilies, and immediately sensed someone was there. He didn’t sense any hostile intent, and said nothing as Sanada pulled the door closed and locked him in._

_Once he and the intruder were alone in the room, he raised his arm, and held his fingers hardened into deadly claws against the intruder’s neck._

_He shifted his eyes to the side, to look over at the man who was carefully tucked behind the cabinet for the closet, out of sight of anyone standing at the door. He had straight, brown hair, cut straight around his neck and across his forehead, simple clothes and a simple face. The only peculiar thing about him, other than the fact he was hiding in Yukimura’s room, were his eyes - because they were closed. And yet Yukimura still felt that the man could see him, perhaps more clearly than most._

_For a moment, the room sat in silence._

_Finally the intruder spoke. “Yanagi Renji. Adviser to the Council, and general manager for a variety of functions at the organization. I also coordinate our intelligence section.”_

_Yukimura said nothing, but kept his hand where it was. The man continued._

_“Because it’s much easier to speak to you directly, than to try to reason with Sanada or the Council.”_

_Yukimura lowered his hand, but stayed where he was, eyes slightly narrowed._

_“I do apologize for the Commander’s behavior. Unfortunately, Sanada is in one of his unreasonable moods. He has misinterpreted the Council’s instructions, and thinks he has to keep you under house arrest. For now, you’d be best off playing along. He’s still rather upset about being blinded.”_

_Sighing, Yukimura finally relaxed his muscles and moved to sit on his bed. Yanagi took a seat on the chair at the desk._

_“My main purpose in coming here is to interview you about the details of your escape - in particular, if you can describe where you were kept, it may lead us to locating the twins. But I do suggest you make at least one request tonight for amenities from the Commander, so as not to raise his suspicion - I suggest a cellphone and a laptop. No matter what you have been lead to believe, they’re quite common items for individuals to own in this day and age, and all members of the organization have them._

_“I only have two hours tonight, but when you have the opportunity, come visit me at my office - I will answer any questions you develop.”_

_They talked quietly for a long time, stopping once so that Yukimura could make his request. True to his character, Sanada was still sleeping outside the door, ready to wake at a moment’s notice. Normally, Yukimura would have been angered by his unjustified imprisonment, but there was something endearing about the commander’s dedication to his task._

_By the end of their conversation, Yukimura decided to trust Yanagi. He had nothing to lose, after all, and even without help he had every intention of escaping from under the Spartan commander’s watch. Yanagi showed him a rope hidden under his bed, which the intelligence specialist had used to enter. He’d answered all of Yukimura’s questions fully, and the bluenette felt honestly, as well. By the time Yanagi had to leave, there was still so much more information for them to exchange, so Yukimura promised to come visit him the following night._

_Yanagi left using the rope and the window, and after half an hour of realizing he couldn’t sleep, Yukimura snuck out as well._

_He had a lot of exploring to do, and a whole organization full of people to meet._

_And he had an important need, one that the commander had completely forgotten Yukimura would have, that he needed to fill no matter what._

He dropped the rope out the window, as he’d done every night since his first meeting with Yanagi. He stepped backwards out of the window, his feet firmly planted on the wall.

Sanada was staring out the window of the room next to him, gaping at him.

Sighing, Yukimura pulled himself back into the room, and sat on the bed. Not even a minute had passed, when he heard the lock being fiddled and then the door tore open, slamming into his closet doors, and Sanada came crashing through.

“YUKIMURA!!” Sanada roared, and pounced on top of Yukimura, pinning him to the bed.

There was no point, really, as Yukimura wasn’t trying to get away, but he had to admit his heart was pounding at having the angry, powerful hunter trapping him down. Fear was telling him to struggle, and it took all of his willpower to stay calm in the face of Sanada’s snarl.

“Just what the hell have you been doing?!”

“Exploring. Meeting people. … And feeding.”

“Feeding?!”

“You keep giving me meals, but you’ve completely forgotten I’m a vampire! I have to drink from time to time normally, and now I have a hundred years to make up for.”

“You could have asked me!”

“I couldn’t have drunk only from you for all these nights!”

“Drink from me?! I would have given you blood packets!”

“Blood packets?! I don’t even know what those are!”

“Are you saying you’ve been drinking from other humans this whole time?!”

“Not without their consent! I don’t understand all your rules. None of the other hunters have a problem with it -”

“You’ve been drinking from other hunters?!?!”

“Of course! How do you think I’ve gotten to know Yagyuu and Niou so well?!”

Sanada seethed, angry to the point of being unable to speak, and he snarled like a pitbull with his lips drawn back. His whole body was trembling with fury. 

“Who else knew about this?” He finally managed to growl.

“Yanagi. Marui and his friend Jackal. Saeki, the Kisarasu twins, Sengoku, one of the errand runners, I think his name is Dan; last night I met a trainee named Aoi -”

“ARGH! They all knew.....which of them did you drink from?!” 

“Well, everyone I just mentioned -”

“Tarundoru!”

Yukimura almost smiled, but he knew that would only make the Spartan more angry, so he managed to keep a straight face. Yanagi had told him to be completely honest whenever this confrontation came, so he was. The intelligence specialist was scarily able to predict the commander’s reactions quite well.

_It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to get permission,_ Yanagi had said, when explaining why he’d given Yukimura an escape rope, rather than trying to convince the commander to let the bluenette go out on his own.

Sanada finally let go of Yukimura’s wrists, but only so that he could sit up and punch at the wall.

When he moved, Yukimura was able to see the doorway behind him - and noticed a wisp of light brown hair and the quick curling of fingers as someone pulled back and out of view.

Fuji had been peeking in on them.

_That son of a bitch!_ Yukimura knew that Fuji had tattled on him, as revenge for getting slapped. 

Sanada had somewhat recovered, or at least calmed to a self-controllable state, and he grabbed Yukimura’s arm and pulled him off the bed.

“We’re going to see Yanagi, _now_ ,” the commander growled.

* * *

Yanagi was standing in front of his desk, clearly waiting for them.

“Yanagi!” Sanada roared, having already slammed the door open so hard its handle smashed into the wall. “Why didn’t you -”

“- tell you he’d escaped, is what you are going to say,” Yanagi cut him off, holding up his hand in an appeal for calm. “Genichirou, allowing Yukimura nightly freedom was the quickest way to demonstrate that he is not a threat. I have been monitoring his movements the entire time, and I assure you that he has done nothing to earn your continued suspicion.”

“You should have -”

“- told you about my plan, is what you are going to say.”

“Stop cutting me off!”

“Genichirou, since Fuji Yuuta’s death you have been far too emotionally unstable to make proper decisions.” Yanagi opened his eyes, revealing sharp, dark orbs. “Your way of interpreting the Council’s instructions is proof of that. They told you to watch him, not imprison him. He isn’t a threat - but the Council is wary of his appearance. Or rather, my impression is that he’s a threat to the Council, but not the organization as a whole.”

Pierced by Yanagi’s unusually serious gaze, Sanada forced himself to take a few deep breaths and calm down. The strategist rarely showed his eyes, and the commander finally realized how serious he was. 

Letting go of Yukimura’s arm, he paced back and forth across the office, letting himself think. He’d been so focused on Fuji’s state of emotional mess, he hadn’t taken care of his own psyche - he hadn’t taken the time to meditate since before he heard of Fuji’s capture. From there, it had been one thing after another... negotiating the exchange, learning of Yuuta’s death, his promotion and the mountain of responsibilities that came with it - and then Yukimura’s appearance. 

Then there was the Council. He knew the Council well enough to understand what Yanagi was saying. He had no fantasies about the Council being esteemed wise leaders with a grand, fantastical plan. Those who became elders had clawed their way up; there were a few, like Echizen Nanjirou, who just aged their way in, but most had played all the games necessary to secure their positions. That wasn’t to say they were bad people... Sanada understood ambition. 

He wondered what the return of such a legendary historical figure as Yukimura Seiichi would mean to the balance of political power. On top of that, Yukimura was the last representative of his clan; and how could the great house of Yukimura be ignored? The Sanadas, at least, Genichirou and he knew his grandfather as well, had not forgotten the main family, and the duties they had failed to fulfill. Yukimura Seiichi was, in a way, their last chance to make up for their failures.

He breathed in deeply, forcing himself to calm down. 

“I need time to think about this."

* * *

It wasn’t a big deal, Sanada told himself, forcing his teeth to stop grinding together. Yanagi had told him it wasn’t a big deal, and Sanada had learned - often the hard way - that Yanagi was always right, so if Yanagi said it wasn’t a big deal, then it wasn’t.

But when he glanced over at Yukimura, who was withdrawing his lips from their encasement of Jackal’s wrist, Sanada was still intensely irritated. Marui didn’t make things better, as the redhead quickly took his old schoolmate’s place, and grinned toothily at Yukimura while offering up his wrist.

The vampire’s bizarre, old school way of feeding was of course something Sanada had learned about, in his classes, but he didn’t know of any vampires who still did things this way. If a vampire didn’t have a human feeding partner, usually an assistant or sometimes a human lover, he would usually use blood packets. 

Jackal stepped out into the hallway, and Sanada followed him, closing the door to give Yukimura and Marui privacy, not that they seemed to care.

“Why do you let him do that to you?” The commander asked, his tone low.

Jackal shrugged. “There’s just something about him…. He’s easy to talk to, you know? And... you’d understand if you let him feed from you. It’s... nice.”

Sanada growled low in his throat, dismissing Jackal with his hand then stepped back into the room. _Don’t be irrational,_ he told himself. He hadn’t been able to come up with any reasonable idea of why Yukimura shouldn’t be able to feed this way, if it had been sanctioned by the elders of the past. But watching Yukimura with Jackal, and now with Marui, left a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Marui sighed as Yukimura pulled away, then looked over at Sanada with a cheeky grin. “Hey Yuki-chan, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say our commander over there is feeling a little left out.”

Chuckling slightly, Yukimura’s dark blue eyes shifted upwards to lock with the commander’s. “I did mean to get to him eventually,” he smiled, “but, well... I’m saving the best for last.”

* * *

Fuji couldn’t help but laugh as one of the trainees took a tumble into the mudpit, completely missing his leap to the next monkey bar. The obstacle course was the most fun part of the training program to watch, Fuji had realized some weeks ago. It brought back fond memories of when he and Sanada had passed through the course themselves, dashing from obstacle to obstacle with ease, then of the time he’d gone to watch Yuuta, doing his best not to laugh as Yuuta adorably crawled under the barbed wire with his little cheeks puffed up and grunting...

Shaking himself out of it, Fuji took a few deep breaths. He couldn’t let himself think about Yuuta. He had promised Gen-chan that he’d behave. He still had his parents and Gen-chan to think about, and he knew he couldn’t worry them any more than they already had. He knew he wasn’t the only one hurt, especially when he’d gone to see his mother - how she hugged him, how she’d cried and said she was glad he was alright... she didn’t blame him at all.

Even though Fuji knew what unforgivable evil he had done.

Sanada had pushed him into the patrol rotation, even though he still hadn’t picked any teammates. Fuji just couldn’t pick out any trainees that looked ready. Well, Sanada had been right to say Kirihara was ready - the dark, crinkly haired boy was too good at fighting for his temperament - but Fuji knew they could never be a team. There were a few younger trainees that seemed to have potential, but it’d be a few years still before they’d be ready.

Once the training session was over, he picked himself up and headed for the commander’s office. He was not surprised to see Yukimura inside when he got there. The bluenette had fit quite smoothly into all of their daily lives, and in the past two months had completely made headquarters his home.

It seemed strange, that such a legend could just walk out of the story book that glorified him, real and living and breathing and laughing, and live ordinarily along with all of them. There was something ethereal about him. He was in no way a disappointment - anyone who’d sparred with him had lost, and everyone who spent time with him, even for a few moments, adored him.

No one had seen him fight Sanada, though, and Fuji refused to fight him. Fuji was fairly certain he was the only person at headquarters that didn’t like the bluenette, not counting the elders, who seemed to be ignoring the legend’s existence. Sanada acted like he was still wary, like he was still guarding the bluenette like a prisoner. But Fuji and pretty much everyone else saw what the commander couldn’t see in himself - the way his cheeks glowed pink, the way he couldn’t stop watching Yukimura’s every move... how he wasn’t protecting the world from Yukimura, but Yukimura from the world.

And Fuji was pretty sure he’d caught Yukimura returning the look to Sanada. 

The tensai supposed it was none of his business, but since everyone else was so enamored with the bluenette, he knew it was up to him to protect his childhood friend’s best interests. Yukimura had done nothing to earn _his_ adoration, and Fuji still hadn’t forgiven him for that slap. The bluenette hadn’t understood what was going on, there was no way he could have known the pain Fuji was in, and he’d had no right...

Also, Yukimura seemed to dislike Fuji just as equally.

They both sat in Sanada’s office, refusing to speak to or even acknowledge each other’s presence, as Sanada took his time organizing his papers and deciding which tasks to delegate to Fuji for the week. 

Yukimura pretended to type on his laptop, but really he was watching Fuji out of the corner of his eye. The brunette seemed to genuinely be here on business, but the vampire suspected that more might be going on. He’d been wondering if Sanada had made up with his little lover, and if they’d been unable to have any alone time because he was always around. After all, Sanada still kept him under full time watch, even going around with him at night when he fed, and coordinating what times they slept. 

He wondered if he could slip out of the room without being noticed. Well, there was no way he wouldn’t be noticed, but maybe Sanada wouldn’t mind? It wasn’t that he wanted to give the two alone time - he didn’t like a single hair on the brunette’s head, as he hated how pathetically Fuji had been behaving when they’d met. In fact, he felt a churning in his gut, which he was mature enough to admit was jealousy, whenever he saw the brunette getting close to Sanada. 

But it was because he had those feelings that he wanted to leave. Right now, Fuji was leaning so far over the desk, supposedly to look at the maps laid out, that if either he or Sanada turned their heads, they’d be kissing.

So when Niou and Yagyuu popped in unexpectedly, he was relieved, since both Sanada and Fuji had to stop what they were doing to look up at them.

“Oi, Sana~da,” Niou drawled, and Sanada glared at him in response, temple already twitching. “We have a shift in 20 minutes right?”

Sanada glanced down at his desk clock, nodding slightly as he realized how much time had passed. “Fuji and I are almost finished, and then we’ll be heading out.”

“Well, about that,” Niou grinned. “Me and Yagyuu are going on a date, so it’s just the two of you today. Bye!” Niou winked at Yukimura before he grabbed the back of Yagyuu’s shirt and flew out the door, before Sanada could say anything.

Sighing, Yukimura knew this was another one of Niou’s tactics to try and get him and Sanada together. The platinum blonde had hinted more than once that he thought the commander needed someone to brighten up his personality, and that Yukimura was just the one to do it. The bluenette could only imagine that the mopey brunette hadn’t done much for the Spartan’s rock hard personality, and of course he knew he’d be a better boyfriend, but what mattered here was how Sanada felt, so...

“NIOU!” Sanada roared, but it was too late. This wasn’t nearly one of the worst pranks Niou had pulled, so Sanada probably would have to let it go, anyway. Huffing, Sanada looked at Fuji. “Could you accompany us today? I’ll make them take your shift tomorrow.”

Fuji’s mouth dropped open a little bit, and he looked over at Yukimura.

They were both thinking the same thing: _Crap, I’m going to be the third wheel._

“Of course that’s fine,” said Fuji.

“Just the two of us will be fine,” Yukimura said at exactly the same time.

They both glared at each other, and now Fuji knew that he’d done something to annoy the bluenette, much to his satisfaction.

After all, even though he’d never admit it, Yukimura appreciated Niou’s efforts very much.

* * *

“Gen-chan, let’s stop for donuts. I didn’t expect to be out on patrol, so I didn’t eat any breakfast,” Fuji smiled, tugging on Sanada’s sleeve and pointing at the Mr. Donuts across the street.

Yukimura grit his teeth, standing a few feet behind. Only twenty minutes into their patrol, Fuji had started calling Sanada by this ridiculous nickname, and shifted himself so he was always within inches of the commander, leaving Yukimura to keep his distance.

Yukimura knew he’d had feelings for the commander, but it was only now, as jealousy rolled around his belly, that he realized how strong they were.

Fuji, meanwhile, was quite pleased with himself. He’d realized quite quickly how easily it was to get back at the bluenette, while protecting his dear friend at the same time. And going to the donut shop, along with the vampire who didn’t need human food, was a bonus.

Sanada gave in, because he’d never been good at dealing with Fuji when he was like this, and also he felt like spoiling the brunette for a bit, especially now that Fuji had begun doing his job. He felt bad about being so hard on Fuji when he’d been mourning for Yuuta, and he wanted to make it up to Fuji, even in little ways like this. Even if they were on patrol, he wasn’t expecting much, as rebel activity had been suspiciously low as of late.

Fuji intentionally chose to sit at a two-person table, leaving Yukimura to sit awkwardly by himself at another one. And that pretty much set the mood for the rest of the patrol.

Yukimura did not consider himself a vindictive person. He did not pull pranks on people the way Niou did, though he was amused watching what the trickster did.

So, it had nothing to do with him, when, as they were walking, he noticed a restaurant worker about to empty a bucket, and he stepped backwards, pushing into Sanada and keeping him out of the way, leaving Fuji, who was instantly drenched with dirty water.

Sanada and Yukimura stared silently at the brunette, who stood hunched hard, water dripping off his bangs and onto the ground. 

“Nee…” Fuji finally said, his voice cold and calm. “I’ve been thinking about it, and even though the texts say you were quite talented in your time, we haven’t really gotten to see you in action. You know, how you compared to today’s hunters.”

“Hmmm….” Yukimura crossed his arms. “If you’d like some sort of test -”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking.” Fuji spun around to face them, swiping his wet hair off his forehead as he did. He had his usual close lipped smile on his face, but it was clearly forced. “Let’s have a race.”

Sanada sighed, “Fuji -”

“ _Gen-chan_ will be the judge,” Fuji grinned. “We won’t just be running, after all.”

* * *

“I’m still wondering what the point of this training is,” Yukimura murmured, as he crouched next to Fuji. He’d been out here a few times with Sanada to observe the trainees, and he couldn’t really understand why anyone would think crawling under wire would be a useful skill.

But here he was, crawling on his hands and knees. Fuji was a full two feet ahead of him, not really because he was better at crawling, but he’d been very good at dashing through the bush maze that had been the obstacle before. Sanada had assured him that the course had changed quite a bit since Fuji was a trainee, but it still seemed as if the brunette had everything memorized.

There was no way Yukimura was going to lose to a cheater. He pulled himself out from under the wire once they reached the end, trying not to cough from all the dust and dirt that now covered him from head to toe. Fuji was already sprinting up a large ramp, and Yukimura allowed himself one deep breath before charging after him.

The vampire almost fell when they got to the top. He’d seen this part - the suspended metal rail that Sanada called monkey bars. 

Unfortunately, there was only one set-up, but like the other obstacles it was wide enough for two people to cross at once. Fuji and Yukimura grabbed the first bar almost at the same time, even though Yukimura had thought the brunette would be ahead of him already, and this meant they were only inches apart as they started to swing.

On the third swing, they grabbed for the same place on the next bar, their hands crashing together so that they both missed. Fuji pulled back, and Yukimura realized he didn’t have enough experience to swing himself back the way Fuji was - and this was the brunette’s goal all along.

So he grabbed Fuji’s arm.

Fuji yelped as he was pulled down, and both of them smashed into the deep pit of mud underneath the bars. 

“You-!” Fuji yelled, splashing around the pit and getting himself even more muddy. They’d sunk into at least three feet of mud before hitting the pit’s bottom. 

_The nerve…_ Yukimura suddenly burst out laughing. The brunette was so covered in brown muck that he looked more like a shaggy dog than an elite hunter at the moment.

“What!” Fuji pouted, trying to wipe mud off his cheek, and getting even more mud from his hand onto his face and hair. 

“It’s just,” Yukimura huffed between his peals of laughter, “you planned all this just to get me muddy.” 

Fuji glared at him, his red cheeks puffed up like a squirrel. 

“And now you’re mad because you got muddy too.” Yukimura dug his hand into the mud on the bottom, which was thick enough he could form it into a ball. “Sanada’s right, they spoiled you too much.”

His hand picked up momentum stealthily through the muddy water, so Fuji didn’t notice before it was too late - Yukimura threw the ball right at the brunette’s chest.

And then they went at it, splashing and chucking mud at each other. At one point Sanada got close enough to intervene, which ended with him getting pelted with mud, and he’d growled and stalked back to the observation tower.

Both Fuji and Yukimura had laughed pretty hard after that. The pit was formed with a shallow incline, so Yukimura laid back against it, enjoying the feeling of the thick water around him and not caring the it was soaking into his hair. Fuji sat down with his legs scrunched up in front of him, resting his chin on his knees.

“I used to be jealous of other kids.” Yukimura looked up at the sky, watching the clouds sauntering by. “They were always playing… throwing snowballs, splashing water, making a mess. But I had to train. I had a destiny to fulfill, one that I couldn’t…” He breathed out slowly, pushing the thought away. “It’s fun, doing stupid things like this.”

“... I feel better too,” Fuji smiled, and he looked up too. “I played a lot with Gen-chan and my brother when we were kids, but Yuuta got so mad at me after a while when I won all the games. He was so cute, he...” 

The brunette stopped speaking, just suddenly, and Yukimura didn’t say anything either. He’d heard from the others that Fuji had killed Yuuta in order to protect the organization. He didn’t know all the details, but Yanagi had told him that he thought Yuuta’s blood had spilled onto the coffin that Yukimura was trapped in, waking him up. It made sense when they looked at the timing, though Yukimura had been so focused on escaping before the twins noticed he was awake he hadn’t paid attention to the building he’d been kept in. He thought it matched what Fuji had described. But he’d been so disoriented that he couldn’t even figure out how to get back to the mansion, when they had tried to use his testimony to determine the twins’ hiding place. 

_There’s no point thinking about it,_ he thought with a sigh. _The twins are already ahead in this game of war, and I have a hundred years of civilization to catch up on._

“So, when did you start dating Sanada?” Yukimura finally thought to say, changing the subject.

Fuji started chuckling lightly, covering his mouth with his hand.

“What,” Yukimura sat up, looking annoyed at him.

“... I’m not dating Gen-chan,” Fuji smiled widely. “I’m not sure what gave you that impression, but we’re really just childhood friends.”

Yukimura’s jaw dropped.

“I mean, we’re just comfortable together. Besides, I picked on Gen a lot when we were little - I think he’s still traumatized, that’s why he orders me around so much now that he’s ranked higher than me. There’s no way he’d ever want to date me.”

“... Do… you want to date him?”

Fuji shook his head. “Gen-chan is my family, that’s the kind of love I have for him. I- … well, there’s no one I want right now. Why do you even think I’m gay?”

Yukimura shrugged. “Ideas of men and women stop meaning anything in the world of vampires. But I suppose since Sanada and you can still procreate, it’s something to think about.”

Fuji looked at him for a bit, before smiling. “You’re right. I don’t care about those things either. And my family already has what they need to make heirs from me….. even from Yuuta…”

“What do you mean?” Yukimura asked, eyes growing wide.

“Oh, that’s right, you wouldn’t know.” Fuji pursed his lips together. “Nowadays… they can take the seeds from men and women and freeze them, and then use them later. Our family line is important, so before they let us out on the front lines, they… took what they needed as insurance.”

“You mean they can _make_ babies, even from people who died? That’s amazing!” 

Yukimura paused when he saw Fuji wince. He wondered if he’d said something rude.

The brunette looked down at his feet. “... Yes, it is, really… and it’s a relief, because now they don’t have to arrange marriages like they used to. But I…. I just try not to think about, if they actually use the seed to make children, I mean, they’d be my children, but they sort of wouldn’t be… it’s a pretty new thing but I heard one of my uncles used the technique after his nephew died, he just raised the baby himself and no one’s allowed to know who the mother is.

“And… the Echizens started taking seeds before their members are turned, so that they can have children even after they’ve become vampires.”

“... The world really has changed,” Yukimura whispered, resting his hand on his stomach. He wondered how different things would be for the Yukimuras if he could create an heir. If only he could revive the family…

* * *

“Okay, just sit and relax.” Yukimura patted the spot next to him on the office’s sofa.

Sanada sat after a moment of hesitation, his back and neck stiff as a board, his face and eyes pointed straight ahead at the wall. 

Yukimura turned his face away in a moment of hesitation as well, before taking hold of Sanada’s hand in both of his and drawing it upwards towards his lips. He’d never felt nervous before, not even the very first time he’d drunk from a very young Nanjiroh. He didn’t know why he was feeling nervous now.

_It’s different when it’s with someone you love._

Nanjiroh’s father had shared those words with him, sometime after he’d been turned. Yukimura had never loved anyone, not in a romantic way, and he wondered what difference there would be.

Sanada’s fingers twitched, breaking Yukimura out of his thoughts. The bluenette lowered his head, and let his fangs sink into warm, calloused skin.

He could always feel the pulsing.

It was faster, faster than he was used to. Sanada was nervous, too. Usually Yukimura relaxed the person he was about to feed from, talking to them and touching them lightly. But he hadn’t been able to relax Sanada, especially since he wasn’t relaxed himself.

He tried to be careful. He could feel the flow coming in faster, and it was… different. Sweeter. Thicker. More satisfying, no, truly satisfying, as if he’d never had real food before that moment.

He had to stop.

He jerked away, standing so quickly he almost tripped on his own feet. He stared at Sanada, and Sanada stared back, dark eyes hazy at first but quickly coming into focus. Yukimura licked his lips, tasting the last traces of blood as his tongue cleaned them away, and he stepped backwards, unable to look away. Finally he managed to turned, and he headed straight for the door.

“Wait.”

He turned back to see Sanada standing, his hands by his side but his right hand was slightly lifted, as if the hunter wanted to reach out for him but was holding back.

“What’s wrong?” Sanada asked. Neither one moved.

“Nothing’s wrong,” said Yukimura, his voice coming out too quickly and high pitched. He tucked his arm against his stomach, trying to calm his heart, which was beating so loudly he thought even Sanada could hear it. His eyes looked away. “I-I’m just, not hungry is all.”

“. . . Is there something wrong with me?” Sanada asked, his voice low. He walked forward, looking genuinely concerned. When he was close enough to Yukimura the they could hear each other breathing, the vampire looked up and was instantly captivated by those dark, narrowed irises.

Yukimura felt his mouth go dry.

_Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid…_

He reached out, touching the wrist he’d drunk from, and slowly bringing it towards his lips. He kissed the small pin marks, which had already stopped bleeding, and then looked back at Sanada’s face. The hunter had an expression that was almost unreadable, but Yukimura felt like he knew what was there, at least, he knew what he wanted to see there, and…

Somehow, he had the courage to stand up on his toes, wraps his arms around Sanada’s shoulders, and press their lips together.

* * *

For Sanada, the next few months passed like a blur.

He made Yukimura a permanent member of his team - a selfish abuse of power, he admitted only to himself. Somehow Yanagi’s name was all over the paperwork, so the Council approved, thinking this would make Sanada’s duty of keeping an eye on the bluenette easier.

It was, and Sanada was keeping a very good eye on the lithe vampire. Except when they were making out, because then his eyes were closed half of the time. Somehow, Niou and Yagyuu kept getting separated from them when they were out on patrol, somehow, only when they were in mostly secluded places.

Sanada had never felt this way before. He’d always been focused on his training, then on his duty as a hunter, then on his duty to guide those below him as he promoted through the ranks. Yukimura had laughed when he told him, saying that it had been the same for him. They’d both been raised to focus on the war, on the hunt.

Sanada didn’t even know when he’d developed these feelings, but he knew they were already there when Yukimura kissed him. Sanada hadn’t known it was possible to lose oneself as he had that night. Something about the feeling he’d had when Yukimura had fed from him… that intense, tingling sensation that had flooded his emotions in an incredible way.

He’d felt stoned, completely out of it, and when Yukimura had stood up, it felt like a thick blanket had been torn away from him in the middle of a snow storm. He’d gone from feeling absolute euphoria to a suffocating loss, and he was sure he was sick, sure that something must have been terribly wrong with him, with his blood.

But then… the bluenette had kissed him, and…

Now Niou would not stop giving him hints about what he needed to do next. What was truly embarrassing was when Yanagi took him aside, the commander assuming they were going to talk strategy, and instead he heard all sorts of directions and details that had left him unable to speak to Yukimura for almost a full day. It was only when he saw the bluenette’s eyes gloss over with the beginning of tears that he got over it, and led the other into his room.

And now they were here, on his twin sized bed, in his dorm. None of the other hunters should have been there in the middle of the day, at least not the officers that dormed on his floor - at least, according to Yanagi, who had been very particular about the where and the when.

Yukimura looked up at him expectantly.

His cheeks were flushed, and his lips slightly parted and puffed red as they often were these days, worn from the clashes they’d had with Sanada’s. He lay silently with his head against the pillow, wavy locks of dark hair curling around his face, his eyelids drooped at half mast, outlined by his thick, long lashes. Sanada’s hands rested on either side of his head, and the hunter loomed over him, like a wolf pinning down his prey.

Sanada could spend all day looking down at the bluenette like this, studying his every curve and line. But his libido had spent the last several hours aching, ever since his imagination inspiring talk with Yanagi. So his hands took action, undoing buttons and belts as he sat up on his knees, careful not to sit on the skinny legs trapped below his, and thankfully Yukimura broke out of his stupor long enough to help with the unbuttoning. There was a bit of jostling, especially since neither one wanted to move off the mattress, which meant pants had to be kicked off along with socks and shoes, which neither had managed to properly remove.

Sanada finally paused when he had trouble pulling off Yukimura’s undershirt, and he became aware of the exposure of skin, of the pale, pulsing flesh of the vampire’s chest, and the site of small, pink nipples that were so different from his own. It finally hit him this was really happening, they were really going this far.

He finished pulling off the undershirt, breathing heavily as he looked into Yukimura’s shining eyes. The vampire had said nothing, letting him take the lead, and Sanada felt reminded that this man had slept for nearly a hundred years of his life, even his conscious years were more than a decade longer than the commander’s.

“. . . I haven’t ever . . .” Sanada breathed, and he couldn’t believe how hot and out of breath he felt. _I don’t know what I’m doing,_ he wanted to explain, but the words caught in his throat, in his labored breathing.

“Me neither,” Yukimura smiled. His thin fingers slipped beneath Sanada’s undershirt, and soon they were both in equal states of undress. Yukimura pulled himself up, changing his position, and put Sanada’s hands on the edge of his boxers. “But I think I understand the gist of it.”

“. . . Are you sure you want to?” Sanada asked, but he didn’t hesitate to slip his hands under the elastic and feel the tight curves of Yukimura’s hips.

“More than sure.” That sweet smile grew into something both fond and lustful. “Are you…?”

“I - I want -”

“I know.” Yukimura lifted himself up, just long enough to let Sanada slip the elastic over his knees and ankles. “I want you as a man, Genichirou. I know that’s who I’m in love with.”

Sanada always found Yukimura’s confidence unfathomable. How had the vampire done it? Awoken to a new, technology filled world, in the home of his enemies. Escaped with nothing but his own skin. Come here, to a place where his allies were questionable, and endured their suspicion. Perhaps facing unknown ventures in the realms of love and lust was nothing compared to these.

But though Sanada had fearlessly faced much himself as a hunter, at present he was terrified.

It was only Yukimura’s calm, beautiful smile that kept him breathing, and made his hands move to remove his own boxers.

There was nothing between them now. Yukimura lay back down on the comforter, clearly enjoying letting Sanada be in control. The hunter didn’t feel like the bluenette was being submissive - he was being allowed to do this, and the vampire could revoke that privilege at any moment he pleased. If anything, Sanada felt like he was being tested.

He pushed his thoughts aside. Yanagi had said something about focusing on his feelings and not the situation, and doing what his instincts told him instead of his brain. The strategist knew him too well, was doing that scary prediction thing again.

Strong, calloused fingers descended on round shoulders, and Sanada lowered down to plant a gentle kiss. He felt down Yukimura’s chest, fingers curling around his ribs, thumbs teasing those tempting little nubs for a bit. To his surprise, the bluenette moaned softly, encouraging Sanada to rub a little more, pleased when the vampire arched up his chest in response.

His hands drifted lower, feeling the toned curves of his captive’s obliques, of stomach muscles trained not by any fitness regime but continuous fighting and peril. His index finger stopped at Yukimura’s belly button, memorizing the little curves.

Finally he scooped around those tantalizing hips, moving his fingers to that dip on either side of the vampire’s buttocks, the place he’d rubbed so many times through layers of fabric, and now he could feel them, the soft yet toned tissues that gave the bluenette such a beautiful shape when the hunter’s eyes drifted down. 

Then he let one hand continue under, feeling for the warm crack below Yukimura’s lower back, while his other hand slipped upward, and he felt for the part that reminded him that Yukimura was no woman. 

Yukimura moaned earnestly, arching his hips upward as Sanada’s fingers wrapped around his manhood, and a smile grew on the hunter’s face as he felt the vampire was as hard as he was. The last of his hesitation disappeared, and he dipped his other fingers between the buttcheeks, until he find that hot, trembling hole that he would have been horrified of if not for all of Niou and Yanagi’s prodding. Now his excitement was overwhelming.

“Nnn,” Yukimura squeaked, as Sanada pushed his finger just slightly beyond the rim.

“Am I doing it wrong?” Sanada asked, trying to remember Yanagi’s instructions, something about starting with fingers, and using lots of …. “Lube.”

He jumped off the bed, feeling rather stupid after Yanagi had told him - what was it? _“Lube, lube, lots of lube”_ \- he’d said it was a mnemonic to help him remember. He supposed this was just another one of the strategist’s predictions, that he’d get so caught up in the moment he’d almost forget.

“What’s lube?” Yukimura asked, sitting up and looking rather disgruntled at his comfortable position being disturbed.

“Something that will make this easier.” Sanada frowned, pulling the tube out of his drawer, and wondering what the point of it being strawberry flavored was, then deciding he didn’t want to know. “Mmm, maybe it’s a bit modern.”

When he moved back to the bed, he took a better look at Yukimura, who was looking back and him, and realized they had a second problem.

“Hm,” he murmured, indicating for Yukimura to lay back down. But this time as he sat, he scooped up Yukimura’s ankles, shifting them gently until the bluenette understood and wrapped his legs around Sanada’s waist.

The lube felt cold on his fingers, so he poured extra and rubbed his hands to make it warm. It was his own bed, so he didn’t care about being messy. He brought his fingers down, and pressed one digit tentatively inside.

“Nnn...oh….” Yukimura’s head pressed back against the pillow, his back arching, his eyes glazed over in what Sanada hoped was pleasure rather than pain. He knew the vampire would tell him if he was doing something he didn’t like - it’d been like that for the past few months of their secret dating. He’d make most of the decisions, and when Yukimura didn’t like something, he would say so, and Sanada would instantly try something else. The bluenette had a way of suggesting things that made the hunter feel like he’d made the choice himself, even though he always had an echoing feeling that he’d somehow been ordered, but even that was something he’d enjoyed.

He’d come to love this man, in a way he’d never knew he could.

He pressed in a second finger, then scissored the way Yanagi had embarrassingly shown him with his hand in the air. The little noises coming from the bluenette were more than enough reward for the pain of that terrible lesson, and Sanada supposed he’d have to thank the strategist later. Though Yanagi had seemed happy enough just making the commander uncomfortable, which seemed to be an awkward pastime he and Yukimura unfortunately now shared together.

Sanada quickly could no longer think of anything else, when Yukimura moaned loudly, his head flying back and his hips arching up so high he rested for a moment on no more than his shoulders.

Sanada rubbed the same spot again, that he could feel was a little different, and Yukimura whimpered and tensed, then grabbed at Sanada’s invading hand.

“No more of that,” Yukimura panted, his eyes drooped lustfully as sweat began to pearl along his cheeks. “Just… you now.”

Snorting, Sanada pulled back his fingers. He didn’t care any more about Yanagi’s advice, whatever the rest was - he’d been throbbing, aching, his hardness was painful, and it was only his absolute will not to hurt the one below him that kept him from rushing things.

But there was a little voice that conveniently reminded him that Yukimura was a vampire, and would be just fine. So Sanada pressed those delightfully lean legs up higher, splitting them wider so he could slip his length in between.

Yukimura gasped when the head pressed inside, and then his lips fell open in a silent moan. Sanada used all of his willpower to go slowly, but he wasn’t really sure when to know if he could move more, nor could he hold back. So in he went, and he couldn’t even think of what the pleasure felt like, at this incredible moment, the pressure on his shaft that his hand had only given a sad imitation of.

He gave a moan of his own as he pressed himself in as far as he could go. He felt so incredible, even more so when he opened his eyes and saw the incredible sight below him, Yukimura’s expression of overwhelmed feeling, his flushed face and twisted body, the way they were joined together, and Sanada bent down and kissed him, much more deeply than at the beginning, sucking at the bluenette’s tongue and massaging around that mouth he’d memorized with his own.

He slipped his manhood back carefully as he did, before shifting it back in again. Yukimura let out something between a whimper and moan, and it sounded beautiful to Sanada’s ears, so he thrust again, and again, enjoying the sound as it got louder and more frequent. Soon they were going at a rhythmic pace, getting faster, and between the moans they shared they also shared kisses, and somewhere along the way Sanada remembered he was supposed to touch Yukimura’s cock too, and he somehow managed to rub it while he kept thrusting harder and faster.

“Oh- OH!” Yukimura shouted, louder than any of his other noises, and Sanada felt cum spurt onto his hand. It was so amazing, in his head, that he’d made the bluenette enjoy this, and that thought was the final straw, sending him over the edge. He thrust even as he came deep into the bluenette, screaming something that sounded like Seiichi, that sacred first name he’d been too respectful to use.

The world flashed white.

And then he was pulling out, carefully, and both of them were panting, sweating and holding onto each other on the small bed. Sanada rolled them onto their sides so he wouldn’t squish Yukimura, which meant they had to hold each other close, chests pressed together and limbs wrapped around each other.

They were both breathing hard, coming down from their euphoria.

“I love you,” Seiichi breathed, and it was such an awkward, beautiful whisper that Sanada took a few seconds to understand what he’d said.

“Seiichi,” Sanada moaned. His fingers wrapped around wavy blue hair, and he drew his lithe bedmate in for a kiss.

When they parted for air, he whispered, “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neu didn't draw explicitly for this chapter ^^; My imagination carried out all the SanaYuki and Fuji Yukimura friendship and troika scenes on its own. But I felt this was as good a time as ever to show off some of her incredible concept art for the story as a whole.
> 
> ["The Last Yukimura"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/06-001%20Yukimura_zpsifcxeby7.jpg)
> 
> ["Yukimura and Sanada"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/06-002%20SanaYuki_zpsgcqgaqza.jpg)


	7. Chain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unable to let go...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost a birthday present for Yukimura. Almost.

Fuji couldn't be more glad that Sanada and Yukimura had gotten together.

It meant that Sanada was too distracted to notice what the brunette was doing. 

The not-as-secret-as-they-thought-it-was relationship of the two was seen as a benefit to most people in the organization - particularly the Sanadas, who had risen to power by asserting their connection to the Yukimuras of old. Having a bond between the heirs of the two families looked very good for them, even better that they didn't have to arrange it. Everything seemed natural, as if the Families were re-asserting themselves, now that Yukimura Seiichi, the prophesied one, had appeared.

As for Fuji, he was happy for his friends, and he was happy his dormitory neighbors were distracted by each other.

He looked down at the map on his tablet, entering some information on one of the sections, then selecting a new one.

He had something to do.

* * *

“Is this your way of being romantic?” Yukimura asked, his voice light and teasing. He turned to face Sanada, still holding his beloved’s hand.

Sanada returned a smile of his own, leading them both onto the park bench. He was sure it was the same bench he’d sat with Yukimura, back when he hadn’t even believed the vampire was who he claimed to be. 

“Should I apologize?”

“For being nostalgic?” Yukimura quirked an eyebrow.

“For not trusting you,” Sanada spoke seriously. “Back when we first met.”

Yukimura shook his head. “You did the right thing.” He lifted his legs slightly, swinging them childishly for a bit. 

Sanada rubbed his pocket, feeling a bit nervous. The day couldn’t have been more perfect - blue skies, light breeze, and their place here was fairly quiet.

He pulled the box out of his pocket. Yukimura was looking at him curiously. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that he’d decided not to be overly dramatic. Neither of them liked that kind of thing.

“This,” Sanada stuttered, prying the box open on its hinges, and unveiling a pendant on a thin silver chain. “I thought… I want you to have it.”

Yukimura reached over and plucked the pendant out of the box, and let it dangle on his fingers before him.

“This is…” The vampire murmured.

“It’s a family heirloom. My mom gave it to me - ” Sanada said that last part with a grumble - “I know, it’s the Yukimura Family’s crest. But I was told it was a gift given to my great greatmother’s sister, who married into the Yukimuras. She - … she perished with her husband. But her sister saved it as a keepsake, and it’s been passed down…”

“I understand,” Yukimura turned to him, eyes shining brightly. “I’ll treasure it.” 

Sanada didn’t know why, but something about the way Yukimura was looking at him made him turn red. He didn’t know how his gift would be received… if it would seem like he was just returning something that belong to Yukimura in the first place, but it seemed like his beloved understood his intention. The bluenette was glowing as he secured the chain around his neck.

* * *

Yukimura had learned about the modern tradition of giving rings as a promise of engagement, but he knew that any jewelry was a promise of commitment. He felt strangely free, knowing he could never have children, knowing Sanada could have children and they could still be together. 

He was happy to have something so valuable to the Sanadas, so he stayed silent about the pendant. He recognized it, of course - it was a tiny plate with the Yukimura family crest, that would have been embedded in the handles of all of the Yukimura clan’s weapons. Someone had turned it into jewelry instead, or maybe taken it from their own sword. Yukimura didn’t want to know who the original gifter had been, if it was someone related to his mother’s death. He’d never told Sanada the truth about his family - everyone at the organization already seemed to know him, just as everyone had a century ago - but he was beginning to wonder what they all knew about the past. Nanjiroh, and in fact none of the elders, had come to talk to him, other than that first day when his old friend had spoken to him so briefly.

“Nee, Genichirou…. when we get back, can you tell me more about the Sanadas? And their connection to the Yukimuras.” He kept his voice calm, his eyes looking straight out as if following a nearby butterfly, but really he was focused on nothing.

“Of course.” 

Sanada reached up to touch the chain, feeling the cold metal against the warm of Yukimura’s neck, and the vampire smiled, knowing how important this was to the hunter. 

They walked back towards the train station, close but not quite holding hands. Yukimura was still learning the social norms of this era but as far as he understood, Sanada was embarrassed by public displays of affection. 

“What is he doing here?” Sanada said out of the blue, his voice suddenly cold.

“Hmm?” Yukimura looked at Sanada then followed the direction his eyes were pointed.

Fuji Syuusuke was standing near the station exit, looking seriously at his tablet and noting some things.

“Is there something wrong with Fuji taking himself out?” Yukimura asked. He didn’t like the angry expression Sanada was making, and he didn’t like that their date was being interrupted. Sanada wasn’t even looking at him.

“He’s not supposed to go out by himself, after what happened,” Sanada growled. “And he said he was going to be in his office all morning, so I could take this time off.”

Sighing, Yukimura pulled out his train pass so they could go home. “So he lied, so you’d leave him alone. I don’t understand why you’re all so protective of him. He’s a perfectly capable hunter.”

“He’s important,” Sanada said in a low voice. 

“To who? You?” Yukimura couldn’t help but feel annoyed. Fuji had assured him he wasn’t competition, that there was nothing between him and Sanada. Yukimura knew he shouldn’t feel jealous, and he trusted the brunette. 

It was Sanada he was worried about. Since Yukimura came to live at headquarters, the commander had shown special interest in Fuji, had always been… looking at him, watching him.

And Yukimura didn’t understand why.

“I’m going to confront him,” said Sanada, determination narrowing his brows and making his fingers curl into fists.. 

Thankfully, Fuji chose that moment to pull out his train pass, and head into the station.

“He’s going back to Headquarters,” Yukimura hissed. “He’s obviously fine. Let’s just go back.”

Sanada didn’t say anything, so Yukimura grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. He was careful to wait until Fuji had already boarded a train before they entered the station. The brunette had been focused on something, and didn’t notice they were near.

They rode the train in an uncomfortable silence. Yukimura started feeling bed, realizing that Sanada deserved to be trusted. _I’m turning into a green monster,_ he thought, remembering one of the dramas he’d watched recently, about a jealous wife. He’d been trying to learn more about modern culture by watching the television.

After all, life in the organization had never been normal, and he knew better than to think he could learn about the world while living at headquarters.

“Hey…” Yukimura placed his hand on Sanada’s knee, smiling when the hunter’s tension broke and dark eyes looked into his. “Thank you for the pendant. Can you tell me more about how you got it?”

Sanada nodded slowly, his cheek twitching just a bit as it did whenever he felt embarrassed. “I… asked my mother for it. She hasn’t worn it in a long time, and I thought you would like something to help remember your family.”

Yukimura drew back against the seat, wondering what to say. He felt so happy Genichirou had thought of this, but remembering the Yukimuras… “Genichirou, I …”

“It’s okay,” Sanada placed a warm hand on his knee, giving it a tender squeeze. “I can’t… I’ll never be able to imagine what it’s like. Your entire family was killed, and you had to flee to the Echizens…”

“What?” Yukimura frowned. Maybe it was just his misunderstanding, but something sounded wrong. “It was only my mother that….” 

Sanada blinked. “I thought your mother died when you were young.”

“... She did.” Yukimura’s eyes narrowed. “Hmm… When we get back, can I take a look at those books about my life? I… know I’ve been avoiding it, but I think it’s time I saw what history has to say about me.”

“Of course,” Sanada nodded encouragingly. “I’ll be with you.”

Yukimura smiled at him, but didn’t say anything more.

* * *

Fuji went through the notes in his tablet, cleaning up the map he’d created from his latest trip.

 _I can do this,_ he told himself. _I’m not going to get caught by Atobe again. This time…_

But was there really still a point, with Yuuta dead? If it were a matter of revenge… _but Yuuta’s death is my fault…_

But if Tezuka hadn’t… but Fuji didn’t dare alleviate himself of the blame. No matter how Yuuta had died, Fuji was the one who was supposed to protect him.

He just had to _something_ , anything to make things change.

He opened up the next map and started making notes.

* * *

Yukimura sat with ease, legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. He smirked, his vampiric sight allowing him to pierce the darkness and make out the faces of those sitting on the stadium of seats high above him.

The elders in no way intimidated him. These were not the same battle worn, conniving council elders of his era - they played too many games, were far too careful with their words to be effective leaders. 

Already they had showered him with praise, as if they had invited him here, telling him what a hero he was, what a hero he would become once he faced the twins in battle once again. How inspired they were by the power and nobility he showed, even while sitting under a bright light on the ground, while the elders sat high in their barely lit, elevated seats, always the judge and jury. 

“Those are kind statements,” he smiled, but his eyes and voice were sharp. “Of course you would say such things - it goes well with what’s written in this...” He waved to the stack of books he’d brought with him. “What do you like to call it, history?”

Nervous rustling echoed through the chamber. The session lead, a middle aged man with brown hair, leaned forward. “We have described our history carefully -”

Yukimura stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, then he kicked the books, sending them tumbling across the floor. “You’ve filled it with lies.” His voice was deadly cold.

Silence fell after the echo from the books died down. The very air could cut through the tension.

Yukimura let them wallow in the tension, before he finally sat back down, a calculating smile drawing across his face as he cross his legs and relaxed. “But I suppose they are all of benefit to me. So why don’t I play along?”

There was an audible sigh of relief among the Council members. But Yukimura knew he was playing a dangerous card. The elders wanted him to stay silent, but they would go between carrot and whip - they’d accept some of his demands, while keeping him confined under Sanada’s watch. He knew he had no power here, among the Council. Sanada may have been his lover, but the Commander would follow the orders of the Council, believing they’d be what’s best for Yukimura.

“Let’s not forget,” he said carefully, keeping airy tone in his voice. “I should be sitting up there, with all of you.” He waved his hand, loftily indicating the high seats. “But I’m too young to be stuck in such a role,” he laughed. “You can’t count the time I was sleeping towards my seniority.”

The session leader slapped his hand down on the railing. “What do you want.”

“To know the truth.” Yukimura’s smile vanished, as he glared at them with serious eyes. “About what really happened while I slept.

“Why did you trade Atobe Keigo for Fuji Syuusuke? What special plan do you have that involves keeping both of them alive?”

* * *

Fuji tread quietly through the hallway. He paused by Sanada’s door, where he could hear Yukimura talking, and smiled knowing those two would be having a very good night - busy with each other.

The rest of the building was quiet. Everyone was either sleeping or out on patrol. Not that Fuji was too worried about running into someone - he had every right to go where he pleased, he reminded himself. He touched the side of his jacket, comforted by feeling the dagger hidden in the inner pocket.

Soon he was on the train. He hadn’t brought his tablet with him, having already memorized the maps after months of staring at them. 

The city sparkled at this time of night. Though most shops were closed, bars were still open, and there were just enough people walking around that Fuji didn’t seem out of place in his heavy trench coat. 

He slipped down one of the alleyways, then moved down the path he’d mapped out. He knew this was the right way, and guessed that this would be a good time. He could almost feel it, he was almost certain…

_Tezuka is here._

It took a little bit of deduction, but once he stopped relying on others in the Organization, he’d been able to pick out one of Tezuka’s spies. He suspected that Yanagi already knew, but for whatever reason the strategist chose to manipulate information rather than cutting it off. Fuji supposed he should be thankful, since the movements of the spy were leading him to Tezuka. Not that Yanagi would ever approve of him going by himself, and though the thin eyed man had been a good friend to Fuji, he stayed neutral among the elders and the hunters, something that made Fuji weary of him. 

Fuji felt more than saw that the one he sought was near, so he hid behind a large garbage bin. 

_Tezuka…_

The bespectacled brunette wasn’t far from him, but Fuji knew he couldn’t get closer without being noticed. The vampire was out in an open area, on the sidewalk of a wide street. He slipped his hand inconspicuously onto one of the large decorative planters, pulling away with a small envelope. It was, Fuji knew from weeks of research, the same envelope the spy would have left several hours earlier.

The place wasn’t always the same, and it wasn’t all the time. Fuji suspected most messages were sent electronically, but occasionally something else was sent, something that they didn’t want to mail. Or maybe they truly didn’t think they could be tracked. Whatever the reason, Fuji didn’t care, only that it left an opening for him to find Tezuka.

 _Now how do I get close to him?_ He wondered, gnawing on his lower lip. He’d tried a direct confrontation before, and it hadn’t gone well. Then again, he was positive Atobe wasn’t about to jump him - the elitist vampire should have been distracted by one of the operations of a hunter team, that was designed to target a few of the master vampire’s offspring. _Not that it’ll succeed, but it buys me time._

He stood up, pulling the dagger into his hand. Sweat began to collect on his brow, as he ran through his options. He didn’t know what he’d do if he actually stabbed Tezuka. Somehow, he couldn’t imagine killing him. But there was another option, the one he’d really brought his dagger for.

He drew a shaky breath, and placed the dagger against his wrist.

“For godsake, cut it out already!”

Fuji gasped as the dragged was knocked out of his hand, just after it made a shallow cut. He looked up in shock at the spikey haired young man who’d just yelled at him. 

Black eyes, black hair gelled up, a casual jean jacket - for a moment, Fuji couldn’t figure out why this teenager scolding him, until he realized he recognized him.

“You… were at the twins’ mansion -”

“Name’s Momo,” the guy shrugged, somehow looking both angry and laid back at the same time. He twirled the dagger around his wrist. “Look, you've been hunting my master for years, and never succeeded. Shouldn't you have learned your lesson after being captured and almost killed?" 

“I hadn’t heard Tezuka had offspring,” Fuji coldly replied, straightening his stance. The dagger wasn’t his only way to fight.

“Just me and this other jerk.” Momo’s lips pulled to the side, as if he thought of something nasty. “But seriously, you’ve gotta give this up. Your friends are- ”

Fuji lunged, taking advantage of the vampire’s chattering, kicking up at vampire’s ankle to trip him while grabbing for the dagger.

“Whoa- Fuc-” Momo lost his balance, his hands shooting upward to try and regain it, but unfortunately for Fuji, this meant the knife was well out of reach. Fuji desperately grabbed the vampire’s arm, but then Momo recovered his posture by throwing back his foot, and somehow the shift in weight combined with a vampire’s unnatural strength led to Fuji being lifted off the ground. Momo jerked his arm, flinging the brunette off, and Fuji crashed hard against the metal trash bin. He gasped in pain as the wind was knocked out of him

“Hey, wait, whoa, that was totally an accident,” Momo stuttered apologetically, his hands waving in front of him, one still holding the dagger. But he wasn’t looking at Fuji. He was looking and talking at someone further down the alleyway.

Fuji followed his eyes, mouth dropping open when he saw Sanada and Yukimura pacing quickly towards him. “Gen…”

“We followed you,” Sanada growled, his voice shaking along with his clenched fists. His glare stayed focused on the spiky haired vampire. 

“Momo, was it?” Yukimura stepped forward. Despite looking thin and effeminate, especially next to Sanada, there was something terrifying about him at the moment, a cold aura that made Fuji shiver even though it wasn’t directed at him. “You knew we were here. How? Even Fuji didn’t notice.”

“U-um…” Momo definitely knew he was in trouble, his forehead wrinkled and sweat rolling down his nose. “Little trick of mine, part of my power. Just, errr, leave us alone, k?” He spun around and took off running.

Fuji realized Tezuka had left before the confrontation had even happened and lost the last of his strength. He would have collapsed in a heap on the ground, if Sanada hadn’t caught him and pulled him up. But the Commander’s grip was nothing gentle, and Fuji knew he was in trouble, in more ways than one. 

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Sanada’s voice thundered. “He said you’ve been hunting Tezuka for years. I know he wasn’t lying. Is that what you’ve been doing, sneaking out by yourself - that’s why you were captured?! And why the hell would you cut your own wrist?!” 

“I’m trying to use my power,” Fuji sobbed. “I thought that - … I have to - …”

“I understand.” Yukimura wasn’t angry like Sanada. Instead his voice was eerily calm. “Your method might not be working, but I see what you’re trying to do.”

“What do you mean?” Sanada looked up at his lover sharply, mouth opened into a snarl.

“The elders told me about Fuji’s cursed blood.” Yukimura’s lips stretched into a smile, but it was nothing like what he usually gave. This smile was cold. “If we want to beat the twins -”

“No!” Sanada shouted, his grip tightening around Fuji. “It’s too dangerous. I will not allow it.”

“Genichirou, it’s the only way,” Yukimura’s smile softened, as if he found the Commander’s refusal endearing. “Everything else has already been tried.”

“I will not allow it,” Sanada repeated stubbornly. 

“Gen-chan,” Fuji whimpered, not having the strength to pull out of his friend’s grip. He looked desperately back towards where Tezuka had been, where Momo had run, but neither one were anywhere in sight.

Yukimura and Sanada glared coldly at each other, both refusing to back down. 

Finally, Yukimura sighed, reaching into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief. He kneeled down and took hold of Fuji’s wrist, wrapping the cloth around the cut. “We’ll talk more back at the headquarters,” the bluenette murmured. He clearly hadn’t given in - he was just above a childish staring match. 

Fuji stayed silent, knowing that if Sanada wouldn’t listen to his lover, he certainly wouldn’t listen to his insubordinate underling.

* * *

Lines flickered across the TV screen, and a humming noise stayed constant throughout the video, which was obviously old. On the screen, a man sat in a chair in the center of a room, with only a small table in front of him. A thin glass half-filled with what appeared to be wine sat on the table, and he rolled the neck of the glass back and forth with his fingers. 

The man wasn’t particularly unordinary. He had silky, bronze colored hair that fell straight to his shoulders, though from the high angle of the video, his other features were fairly indistinguishable. He wore a gray jumpsuit, but what was more notable were the cuffs around his wrists. 

The door of the small room opened, and a group of people entered. Two were obviously guards, but there was a man in a suite, next to a woman also wearing a suite. She was different, though, because she was holding hands with a child. 

The man turned to look at the group, his movements slow as he held up the glass. “Who's blood is this?" He stood up slowly, prompting the guards to dash in front of the others with their batons in hand. “Is it his?” He pointed at the child with the glass in his hand, as if offering it to him. 

But then he pulled the glass back, and sipped slowly on the liquid, leaving an excruciating moment of silent until not even a drop was left. Then he threw the glass on the ground.

Shards of glass scattered on the floor, crunching under the boots of the guards as they dashed forward and grabbed the man, forcing him back into the chair and slamming his head down onto the table. 

“Wait, wait!” The man screamed, struggling as they tightened their hold on him. “Please, all I want to do is drink more, I’ll do anything he says, I swear!”

One of the guards whacked the baton across his head, making him whimper.

“I swear, I swear, I’ll be obedient, all he has to do is let me drink,” the man sobbed out in a whisper. “He’s my master now, I’ll obey him, all I need is- ” 

The guard smacked him again, and he fell silent. 

The little boy was crying, his face buried against the woman who now held him in a hug. She pulled him out of the room, and the suited man followed.

The video ended.

Sanada sat stonily on the couch, his lips drawn tight into a thin line. 

Fuji, who’d been leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, drew back shakily. “That’s the first time I’ve seen the video,” he spoke quietly. “I was only seven, but I remember when this happened. I just…” He shook his head. “I don’t know how to _use_ my power, how to make Tezuka - … someone who’s tasted my blood, behave like that.”

“What happened to the vampire?” Yukimura asked, slipping onto the couch next to Fuji.

“He was executed a few days after that, as scheduled,” Fuji sighed. “The Elders gave you this?”

“Yanagi did, at their request,” Yukimura frowned. 

The three of them sat in silence for a while, all thinking their own thoughts.

“When I was very little,” Yukimura started, his voice quiet. “My grandfather told me of a weapon... Well, everyone in the Yukimura clan knew there was supposed to be a great, ancient weapon that could be used against vampires. But only the clan head knew where it was.

"My grandfather… I was in a difficult situation, ever since my birth, so to protect me, my grandfather announced that he had officially passed that knowledge to me, so that no one would try to kill me when I was young.”

“Why would anyone try to kill you?” Fuji asked, looking up at him with earnest eyes.

Yukimura returned his look with a bitter smile. “The history you’ve all been taught is a little bit twisted. You know of the prophecy that was told at my birth… and the birth of the twins.”

“Fuji Yumiko predicted the Vampire War,” Fuji said slowly, “And that you and the twins would be on opposite sides.”

“I was born first,” Yukimura explained, “early in the morning. Yumiko said I would fight with the vampires in a great war.”

“You fought with the Echizens,” Sanada interjected. “After the Yukimuras were killed.”

“Her prophecy didn’t make that clear,” Yukimura sighed. “I read your history books. They make it sound like it was known I’d be fighting for the Families. But the prophecy only spoke of vampires. 

“That night, the twins were born. Yumiko announced that they would oppose me. Her words were vague, I suppose… so many people interpreted the two prophecies as they wished. The twins and I were equally in line as heirs to the Yukimura clan. But their parents had a better standing. Of course, there would still be conflict about which twin would take over, but even before I was born, many had decided I would be third in line. You can imagine their devastation when I was born first.

“And then the prophecies…” He breathed in deep, willing himself not to be angry. “They thought I would side with the rebel clans, and that the twins would lead the Families against me.”

“But that’s the opposite of what happened,” Fuji exclaimed. Yukimura didn’t blame him - both he and Sanada were hearing for the first time that much of what they’d learned as children were lies.

“No one knew what would happen… except maybe Yumiko. Maybe all the Fujis… anyway, what mattered was what they thought would happen. Many among the Yukimuras thought it would be best to kill me when I was still an infant.”

The look on both Fuji and his lover’s faces would have been touching, but Yukimura knew he couldn’t start to reminisce. “None of that’s important, anymore. But in the end, my grandfather’s tactic wasn't able to protect me... Most of the family members didn’t care. They didn’t believe the weapon even existed.”

“... So… what happened with your family?” Fuji asked solemnly.

“Mmm… it doesn’t matter. What matters is the weapon.” Yukimura’s eyes narrowed, even as he smiled.

“Did your grandfather really tell you where to find it?” Sanada asked.

“No….” Yukimura’s smile didn’t wane. “But he told me how to recognize it. The Yukimuras didn’t believe it existed because they figure if it did, it would have been used already. And I never used it during the war, so everyone forgot about it...”

Yukimura turned to Fuji, cupping both of his cheeks with his hands. “But you see, the reason I couldn’t get my hands on it... my grandfather told me it hadn’t yet been born.”

Fuji gasped, “You think I’m the weapon?”

“My grandfather told me the weapon was a person who hadn’t been born yet.

“There was an ancient prophecy of a special blood, one that once existed but that would be born again. The Elders of the Fujis know about it, as the blood had been born within their clan. They shared the knowledge with the head of the Yukimuras, as a sign of goodwill when those two Families allied.”

“The Elders told you Fuji’s blood was some sort of weapon, and you believe them because your grandfather told you this as well,” Sanada said, his voice a low growl. 

“Genichirou, _please,_ ” Yukimura begged. “The twins gained great strength by turning into vampires. But they gained this weakness as well.”

Sanada stood angrily, refusing to look at either of them. “The Elders have been trying this for years. It’s going to get Fuji killed.”

“But it hasn’t yet,” Fuji stood up after him. “Genichirou, I want to make this power useful. I _want_ to do this.”

“And what exactly are you going to do?!” Sanada grabbed the edge of his desk, squeezing it with his fingers. “Bleed all over to get Tezuka’s attention?! He drank your blood already, and nothing happened.”

“Something did,” Yukimura insisting, standing up as well. “Kunimitsu stopped Keigo from killing Fuji, from even drinking from him. I think we’re just not understanding how Fuji’s ability works, that’s why we haven’t been able to control him. But that’s not what we’re going to do.”

“It’s not?” Fuji blinked.

“I’ve been thinking about the War, about everything that went wrong.” Yukimura grimaced. “This time, we won’t bring numbers. The twins have too many spies. If we pull in other hunters, they’ll respond by calling on their allies among the rebel clans, just as they did during the War. 

“Their network of spies are extensive. The one that Fuji followed is only one of dozens. We won’t involve anyone else. The twins may seem to have many allies, but they’ve spent most of their lives in isolation. Keigo has less than half a dozen offspring, and he doesn't depend on them. He was alone when Sanada capture him, and I’m sure we can find him alone. If Kunimitsu’s out of the picture -”

“You think the three of us can defeat the twins?!” Sanada didn’t sound outraged, so much as in disbelief. Of course he did - like Yukimura Seiichi, the twins had such an incredible legend built around them that the hunters saw them as all powerful. Of the young hunters Yukimura had talked to, only Fuji Syuusuke didn’t seem to think that way.

That was why the bluenette knew Fuji could do this.

“The two of us, Genichirou,” Yukimura smiled at him. “You’re stronger than you think. We’ll repeat what happened that night at the bar. Fuji will go after Kunimitsu. He doesn't need to defeat him, just keep him from helping Keigo.”

“And how are we going to get the twins alone to begin with?” Sanada didn’t seem happy, being the only one against this.

“I’ve been talking to Yanagi,” Yukimura shrugged. “Keigo’s offspring spend their time running operations. They don’t live at the Mansion with the twins, of this Yanagi is certain. What worries me is Kunimitsu’s offspring - we didn’t know he had any. But if they have to chose, they’ll follow their master, which is where Fuji’s power comes into play. 

“Besides, we’re not going to leave it to chance. Keigo has two weaknesses - Kunimitsu, and his own arrogance.

“We take away one, and make him face the other. After all, we have a second weapon besides Fuji’s blood.”

“And that would be?” Sanada grumbled, annoyed by the way the explanation was being drawn out.

“The only person Keigo’s ever lost to - you,” Yukimura smiled.

Groaning, Sanada took a seat in his office chair. “You’ve obviously put a lot of of thought into this.”

“I have an old war to win,” Yukimura replied solemnly. “Keigo and I have one thing in common - we both hate to lose.”

* * *

"It's a trap!" Nanjiroh shouted, after barging into Yanagi's office.

The strategist looked at him calmly, his eyes staying closed. "You are referring to the intel about Fuji Syuusuke going to the twins' mansion by himself."

"Gah, of course you already know," Nanjiroh ruffled his hair. "But I mean, the intel just came to the Elders, along with the part about Seiichi and Sanada Genichirou going after him. The Elders decided they aren't going to do anything to stop it!"

"You're one of the Elders, therefore you are a part of that decision," Yanagi stated.

"Grrr, you know that's not how it works," Nanjiroh glared. "My point is, if this info came to the Elders, then you know the twins already know. The way it went around seemed pretty fishy to begin with - I think they set up that rumor about Yuuta's things being at the mansion."

"And you think Atobe and Tezuka and their hordes of minions will be at the mansion waiting for them." Yanagi's expression didn't change.

"If you already knew all this, then why didn't you stop them?!"

"Because the twins didn't start those rumors."

"Oh. ... Then, I'm wrong?"

"Not about the danger, though I can assure you there will be few minions at the twins' mansion. But I know the twins did not spread the information you've heard, because the one to spread that information was me."

". . . Okay, can you just explain it to me already?"

"I propagated the rumors at Seiichi's request. He wanted to be sure Atobe and Tezuka would be near their mansion tonight. Their spies would have informed them immediately, which means they heard around 10 a.m. Seiichi and Genichirou had a carefully timed argument in the officers’ dorms hallway, where enough staff overheard to spread the rumors that reached your ears.

“As for why Seiichi made this request, I will tell you, in exchange for you first telling me why you are suddenly concerned with the person you have mostly ignored since his reappearance.”

Nanjiroh sighed, collapsing sideways onto a chair. “I avoided him ‘cause I felt guilty. I’ve done a lot of crap in my life. I wasn’t able to help him during the War - I was too young and inexperienced. But he did so much for me, and when we heard he’d been beaten… I didn’t look for him. I didn’t even try. I assumed he was dead, even though that prat Atobe bragged to everyone that he wasn’t. When I saw him in the hall…” Nanjiroh breathed loudly in and out. “I could barely talk to him. I showed him my son - I’m so proud of my son, but when I showed him, when I saw it in his eyes, how shocked he was about all that had changed… I didn’t feel so proud of myself.

“He fought for all of us, he sacrificed everything, and I ran around and got myself a wife and kid. All my pals from the War died over the years, and now I’m the only one left. I’m the only one who’s okay. I feel like I abandoned them all.”

“Hmm, that’s an interesting perspective,” Yanagi hummed. “Then, as promised - Seiichi plans to face Atobe, to finally defeat him and his brother while involving as few people as possible. He didn’t want the conflict to elevate into a second vampire war, not after seeing the peaceful era that’s been formed. Nor can he leave the twins alone, not when he feels that its his duty to defeat them.”

“If that’s his duty, then it’s my duty too,” Nanjiroh bemoaned. “I have to make it all up to him. You said I wasn’t wrong about it being dangerous, what did you mean?”

“The odds for Seiichi’s plan succeeding are fifty percent. From Seiichi’s depiction of his last battle with Atobe, they have approximately equal skills. Genichirou will stay with Seiichi, while Syuusuke will ensure Tezuka is distracted. But I cannot predict how Genichirou’s presence will affect the battle. 

“Seiichi believes it will be a benefit, but I am concerned about the balance of his emotional state. He has displayed a calm, confident face since arriving here. But I have deduced that this is a facade, one he developed from the high level of expectations and responsibilities imposed on him since childhood. He has undoubtedly felt a considerable amount of fear and uncertainty upon waking up to a friendless, modern world. And now he is about to face his arch nemesis, who defeated and humiliated him, which to us might have been a hundred and and one years ago, but to him, it has only been six months.

“In summary, he’s at a disadvantage, and I am not sure if the presence of his lover will provide positive stability.”

“But it’ll be two against one,” Nanjiroh whimpered.

“Yes, I suppose I should consider that,” Yanagi nodded. But it looked like he already had.

“...Why would Yukimura do this if the odds are so low?”

“Seiichi knows those are the odds needed to draw Atobe into a fight in the first place. Atobe Keigo is not foolish. He will face Seiichi and Genichirou only because he is arrogant enough to believe he can win. And historically, his confidence is well deserved.”

“But you’re sure there won’t be legions of minions?”

“The twins never allowed any of the rebel clans to know of their location, which is why I have never been able to ascertain it myself. And Atobe only has four offspring, all of whom I've confirmed are travelling at this time. 

“Of course, I was not aware that Tezuka Kunimitsu has two offspring until five days ago. Though I had surmised that someone other than Tezuka or Atobe must be maintaining their property. I believe that it is these two.”

Nanjiroh’s jaw almost fell off when Yanagi admitted he had such a devastating gap in his information. He shoved the chair back with his legs as he stood up.

“You tried to talk them out of this?!”

“Of course. Our information about the twins is still too lacking, and the odds are too low. However, Seiichi is extraordinarily stubborn, more so than even the other hunters here, which is saying something.”

Nanjiroh slapped his forehead with his palm. “I’m going after Seiichi, and I'm taking my team. Can you stop the twins from finding out?”

“I control 95 percent of the information that leaves the organization. I will do what I can.” Yanagi’s lips curled into a small smile, which was quite a show of supportive for the normally inexpressive man. 

“Text me the address!” Nanjiroh called back, already half out the door.

“I will,” Yanagi bowed slightly as the door slammed closed. “Though I promised Seiichi I would not interfere,” he continued, now speaking only to himself. “You will not arrive in time for the battle, but perhaps by going, you will make peace with yourself over the past.”

Yanagi did not know how to calculate the odds of that, but he hoped they would not be as low as the odds for Seiichi.

* * *

They reached the border of the woods.

Yukimura deeply regretted not marking in any way the path of his flight. They walked around the edge of the trees, searching for the road he remembered. The bluenette held Sanada’s hand, while they both looked in opposite directions, Yukimura to the left into the trees, and Sanada to the right, watching the town.

“Well?” He asked, stayed focused on the forest.

“We’ve walked four blocks. The style of houses is changing,” said Sanada.

Sighing, Yukimura stopped and turned to look at Fuji and his lover, motioning for them to crowd together in a circle. “It’s definitely an illusion. Whoever has this power is fairly skillful. This is something laid permanently, and strengthened over the decades.” 

“Time for plan B, then,” Fuji said with determination. He pulled out his dagger, and pricked his his pinky. “Are you sure this is enough?”

“If the curse works the way I think it does, then yes,” Yukimura nodded. “If a vampire takes a liking to a particular person’s blood, its a lot easier to notice. At least…” He touched Sanada’s wrist, making both of them blush slightly. 

They waited by one of the houses. Yukimura insisted they shouldn’t hide, as “Kunimitsu is too perceptive - not only will he notice, he’ll think less of us.”

Several heart pounding minutes passed, until they finally heard the crunching of undergrowth coming from the forest, putting them all on guard.

The air shimmered slightly - and then Momo, the vampire they’d met a few days ago, stepped out from between the trees.

“Whoa - wait!” The vampire shouted, as three swords were suddenly pointed at him. “Hold it, just want to talk - talk first, fight… never?” He held up his hands, eyebrows raised and forehead crinkled. 

“Tezuka sent you,” said Sanada, eyes dark and narrow.

“No, no no no!” Momo shook his head way too vigorously. “I snuck out here on my own. Master’s not even around. He left a few hours ago.”

“He left?!” Fuji exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“He left after talking with Atobe. I think they had a fight or something,” Momo shrugged, while taking a few cautious steps away from the pointed blades. “Look, I came out here cause I, um…” He looked pointedly over at Fuji, eyes focused in on his hand.

This time, it was Fuji who took a step back. Something about Momo’s gaze made him uncomfortable.

“Um, the thing is, I, errr, wanted to, um, give you back your dagger, cause well, it’s yours, and you see -”

“What is it?” Yukimura snapped, smoothly moving his blade a few inches from Momo’s nose.

“There was some blood on it, and I couldn’t let it go to waste,” Momo mumbled, almost inaudibly. “It was just a little snack. I didn’t think… errr…” He took a few more steps back, until his back hit a tree and he couldn’t take any more.

“...Hmm…” Yukimura’s stance changed into something more relaxed, more confident. “You had a little taste, and now you want more.”

Momo rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what to say. “There’s something special about it. I’ve never _craved_ anything the way I do this.. and that’s saying something for me.”

“I see,” Yukimura lowered his sword, a graceful smile stretching across his lips, even as his eyes narrowed into something more calculating. “Then, perhaps we can do something about that. Make a deal, I suppose.”

“We want you to help us,” Fuji blurted. He took a few deep breaths, recomposing himself. “If you do….” He held out his wrist, suggestively.

“You could have a lifetime supply,” Yukimura added with a suggestive smile.

Fuji looked at him sharply, but kept his lips pressed together.

“I’m not gonna betray my master,” Momo said, but even as he did, his eyes narrowed in on Fuji’s pricked finger. “But it’s not like he told me not to help you. I can tell you things, maybe show you around.”

“You can guide us?” Sanada asked. He lowered his sword but kept a firm grip on the handle.

Momo shrugged. “Sure, it’s not like you can find your way back in. The spells on this place are crazy.”

“Where’s Keigo?” asked Yukimura. His eyes burned with determination, but Momo didn’t even seem to notice.

“He’s at the lake. It’s the place everyone who wanders around the woods ends up, because of the illusions. So he figured you’d all end up there.” Momo sighed. “You know he knows you’re coming. He _wants_ to fight you. He refused Tezuka’s help even.”

Yukimura nodded and sheathed his sword, his smile never waning. “Take us there.”

“No way,” Momo shook his head. “Then Atobe’d know I was helping you’ll. Not that I care, he’s not my master, but I mean, I don’t really want to get killed. Besides, you don’t need me to find the lake. The way this place is spelled - if you go inward, you end up at the lake. That way tourists and townspeople always get there. They assume this place is just the lake and all woods. Then when they leave, everyone ends up outside.”

“Is no one at the mansion?” asked Fuji, his expression stoney. 

“Just the viper. Err… I mean Kaido.” Momo made a face. “He’s Tezuka’s other offspring. Kind of a jerk if you ask me.”

The three hunters looked at each other, coming to a consensus with their eyes. 

“Will this Kaido interfere with… Atobe’s match?” Fuji asked, rubbing his fingers along the handle of his sword.

Momo looked at him with his head tilted for a few seconds, before he responded, “If you’re worried about it, there’s an easy way to make sure he doesn’t.”

“Which is?” Fuji tilted up his chin demandingly.

“You promise about that lifetime supply.” Momo stared at Fuji’s wrist.

Nodding slowly, Fuji sheathed his sword. “You’ll have to live at our headquarters. Follow our rules, our orders. Can you really do that?” 

“Look,” Momo groaned. “I didn’t ask to become Tezuka’s offspring, okay? I just sort of ended up that way. I know you’re not gonna believe me, but I always follow the Families’ rules. If you guys let me live at your headquarters with you, without arresting me or anything, it’s a bonus for me. I’d love to leave this crappy forest and go live like everyone else.”

The three hunters glanced at each other again, then nodded.

Momo grinned. “Cool! I mean, this is gonna be great. … Minus the fighting and all. I don’t hate Atobe, or any of you, I’d be happy if you all didn’t kill each other. Err -”

“What’s the plan to deal with your Kaido?” Yukimura asked, cutting off the chatter.

“Oh yeah, let me tell you about that. You guys are gonna think this is great.”

* * *

Yukimura swept into the woods with a confident stride that Sanada could not even hope to imitate. He was taller, his legs longer, and yet they went at an equal pace. Both had their swords drawn, both were watchful.

After they parted with Fuji and Momo, Yukimura had unbuttoned his jacket, and pulled it over his shoulders. “It’s too restricting,” Yukimura said. His eyes focused only on the woods, as if he could already see Atobe somewhere among the trees.

As they strode forward, the jacket would lift and billow upward, as though it were a cape riding majestic shoulders. Sanada could imagine that if Yukimura were born in the time of kings and queens, he would be one of them.

Yukimura stopped abruptly, holding out his arm to stop Sanada as well, the jacket riding up along with it as though it truly were a cape. 

“I see the shimmer from the lake.” The vampire stepped forward slowly, staying quiet and keeping hidden behind a large tree. “I don’t see Keigo.”

“Do you think the offspring was lying?” Sanada spoke as quietly as his lover, creeping forward as his training had taught. 

“No. That man didn’t have the ability to lie,” Yukimura murmured. “He talked too much. And Tezuka values chivalry - he wouldn't have chosen a liar for an offspring.”

“Anyone can lie, when they need to,” Sanada muttered. But he also didn’t think Momo had been lying about Atobe. For everything they knew about the elder twin, Atobe Keigo was an elitist and a diva, believing he was superior in all skills. He would face Yukimura alone, just as he had at the end of the Vampire War.

“Let’s go in opposite directions around the lake,” Yukimura stood, stepping out from behind the tree. “If Atobe isn’t waiting on the shore, then he’s hiding until the conditions change.”

“What do you mean?” Sanada looked at him, but Yukimura had already started walking away. 

Sighing, Sanada started in the opposite direction, knowing his lover was too stubborn to listen to him anyway. He hoped Momo really had lied, and that Atobe wouldn’t be here. But that would mean Fuji was walking into a trap, and that was something Sanada couldn’t let himself think about.

He’d barely walked a hundred feet, when he heard the crunching of boots behind him.

“Sei-” He froze, his breath catching in his throat. 

Atobe Keigo stood haughtily before him.

“You!” He growled, baring his teeth as he slowly drew his sword. _Don’t be afraid,_ he told himself. _He’s not a legend, just a man. You’ve faced him before._ But then he’d been with his team, and he hadn’t actually known who he was facing. 

But Atobe really was just a man. A man who’d been beaten and capture. A man who was shorter than him, and now that Sanada took the time to look, rather frail looking. _Must be a family trait,_ he thought.

“You really made me wait,” Atobe sighed, lifting his hand to his forehead dramatically. “Though I suppose that’s my own fault, for not arranging something properly.” He drew a sword from his belt, an old-fashioned foil. “I’ve been waiting for a re-match with you, ever since the day you had your peons help you beat me.”

“I want a re-match as well.”

Yukimura stepped out from behind the trees, sword drawn and pointed, well on Atobe’s other side.

Atobe stood proudly between them, and smirked.

* * *

_I have to have confidence in my power,_ Fuji thought, as he followed Momo through the woods. 

It wasn’t long before they reached a road, one that eerily curved through the forest so that he could see neither where it started nor where it led. It was just wide enough for two cars to pass each other, paved with cobble and clearly well maintained. 

“Oh man,” Momo sighed, after several minutes of silent walking. “I hate it when it’s all awkward and quiet. We’re gonna be friends from now on, right?”

“Mmm… I suppose so,” Fuji hummed, keeping his eyes closed and unreadable. He wasn’t so sure himself what would happen with the spiky haired vampire. He realized that the effects of his power must change depending on the personality of the one cursed. The prisoner had reacted with bipolar desperation, but perhaps his impending execution had something to do with that. Tezuka had also treated him differently after drinking - before he had always felt Tezuka watching him, but after taking in the cursed blood, Tezuka now seemed to be distancing himself as much as possible. And Momo… was talking about being friends. Friends with a very particular type of benefit.

Perhaps he should play along. “So… Momo… is that your real name?” He asked, giving his usual small, close lipped smile. 

“Ah! I totally didn’t introduce myself properly,” Momo scratched his head. “Sorry. I’m Momoshiro Takeshi, but really, call me Momo. I was turned when I was 22, but I look way younger, don’t I?” He winked. “I’m a leo, and my favorite food’s a shrimp cutlet burger.”

“I see…. I’m sure you already know everything about me,” Fuji smiled, but his eyes opened narrowly as he sized up the chatty vampire. “Now tell me, why did Tezuka make you his offspring?”

“Awe man, I get asked that a lot,” Momo sighed, as if he didn’t read at all between the lines of what Fuji was really asking. “I know I know, Tezuka’s all silent and cool and all, while I run hot and like to be friendly. I think it’s a good thing, you know, balances him out and helps people see he’s not such a bad guy. I was an orphan, you see? And he helped me out.”

“. . .” Fuji glared at him, and this time his smile dropped. He was very familiar with the tactic of talking a lot to avoid giving a straight answer. “What about your special ability? You must have one, if he took interest in you.”

“Oh yeah, that!” Momo grinned so wide, his eyes crinkled and closed the way Fuji’s always did. “Ah, it kind of sucks, I mean, yeah, I have one, but it’s not the kind of thing that helps you in battle. I think it’s pretty useful though. . . . Oh, uh, I see emotions.”

Fuji froze where he stood. “You… . . . how?”

“It’s _really_ hard to explain,” Momo sighed. “Look, it’s not like I can read thoughts or anything. And I see people’s real emotions, not just what they think they’re feeling. I’ll tell you, most people have no idea how they really feel about things, they just react the way they’re supposed to. . . . You know, act sad when they’re supposed to be sad, happy when they’re supposed to be happy . . . they do and say things based on what their brains tell them, and totally ignore their hearts. It’s like love, people don’t realize when - . . . well, it tooks me a few decades to figure it all out. The easiest way to describe it is that I see auras, like colors around people.”

“. . . You saw that Yukimura and Sanada were following me, even when I didn’t notice. That was because of this power?”

“Yeah…” Momo shifted from one foot to the other. “I could sense their auras, even though they were hidden. It’s not pinpoint accuracy or anything, I can’t see that far or through any building, I can just sort of sense if someone’s nearby.”

“What do you see in me?”

“All sorts of things,” Momo’s lips tugged upward, and this was clearly another question he was frequently asked. “Uncertainty, confusion - mostly determination, right now. Sadness. Bunch of other little things. But I don’t see any hatred or jealousy, which is why I like you. Maybe a bit of self-loathing….. But you’re not that bad. Yukimura Seiichi’s feeling so many different things so strongly that it’s blinding. There was no way I wasn’t gonna see him there. Honestly, I’m glad he didn’t come, cause it hurt to look at. It’s not really a good power, you see?”

Fuji shuddered, unable to move. He filled with regret, then scowled and tried to suppress it, remembering that Momo could see that. He’d never felt so naked before, not even when he’d been tortured by Atobe. 

“Awe man, see? That’s why I hate telling people,” Momo groaned, slapping his forehead. “Look, it really doesn’t mean anything. Just cause I see what people feel doesn’t mean I know what they’re thinking, or how they’re going to act. That’s the worst part. I know what people really feel, and then I see them do things that are opposite of what they’re really feeling and I know they’re gonna regret it and get hurt, but I just can’t do anything about it. 

“It’s the reason I hate lying. I see people lie to themselves all the time, and it’s even worse than being lied to.”

“You really feel that way?” Fuji gasped. He had been raised around people who did nothing but play games with the truth, all for their own petty politics, and those who weren’t good at it learned to be silent, the way Sanada did. 

And Momo had a point - it did feel like his power, combined with his personality, had led him to be more open. And if he really wasn’t trustworthy, then he would have lied about his power in the first place. _Unless his power’s as useless as he claims,_ Fuji grimaced. 

Either way, Fuji had to make a choice. He had to trust Momo, or he had to kill him right here.

* * *

“You’ve already lost,” Atobe drawled. His eyes stayed focused at Sanada, but he held his sword outwards to the side, ready to parry an attack from either direction. His smile was far too confident for somebody surrounded. “It’s this youngster I’m challenging, this time.”

“You don’t get to decide that, Keigo,” Yukimura calmly replied. “The trick you used to defeat me before won’t work again. And I can see that my tricks won't work either. Why won't you turn around and look at me?"

"I'm afraid of being blinded by your beauty," Atobe chuckled, his smirk widening. "I know quite well how your power works. I do miss you, though, seeing you in my casket. I looked in on you from time to time - you were quite the sleeping little beauty."

"Pervert," Yukimura hissed, his smile evaporating. It took a few moments for Sanada to catch on, but he was red in the face with anger once he did. Yukimura never talked about things once they happened, and Sanada never asked, so he knew nothing… not about the bluenette’s defeat nor his captivity.

But no matter what he learned, he knew he’d love Yukimura no less.

“Fight me one on one,” Sanada growled. “I will be victorious.”

Yukimura looked at him, dark blue eyes wide, and it was the first time Sanada had ever seen this emotion on his beloved’s face - fear.

Atobe’s sword slashed towards his neck, and Sanada had no more time to think about it. The strike was swift, but his reflexes were just as swift, and he managed to jerk back his head far enough to just avoid the tip of the blade. His sword swept upward, just in time to catch the strike of the foil swinging back. 

The metal resounded loudly in the forest, and the flaps and caws of birds echoed through the trees as they dashed away in fright. Sanada roared, pushing the blades away from him, forcing Atobe’s arm out to the side. 

The diva was wide open.

Sanada kicked up with his foot, landing it hard - but not against Atobe’s stomach, as he’d intended, but rather a second blade. At least, that’s what he thought it was, until he took a second look - and Sanada realized his boot had been blocked by a rod of ice. 

Atobe grinned, his teeth gleaming along with the ice in his hand. 

Trusting his instincts, Sanada jumped backward. All of this had happened in barely thirty seconds, but already sweat was pouring across his brow. His blood pounded through his body, veins pulsing along his arms and forehead. 

Where he had just been, a giant shard of ice pierced the ground, as though it fell from the sky. 

“ _Keigo!_ ” Yukimura shouted, his voice hoarse with anger and desperation. 

“I accept his challenge,” Atobe leered, eyes still pinned on Sanada, but his sword now pointed backward at Yukimura. His other arm held out in the opposite direction, steam rising from his hand.

 _It’s steam from the ice_ , Sanada realized. The patch of steam grew larger even as he watched, until soon it was billowing outward, and Sanada could feel the temperature in the air drop rapidly. 

“I wonder,” Atobe drawled, his eyes as cold as the ice crystallizing around his arm. “A vampire can survive a hundred years with its blood frozen, but how will a human fare?”

Sanada tumbled back, knowing he needed to move away from this king of ice. His heel struck something hard, that shattered under his weight. _Ice! _his mind screamed, as he slipped and crashed down onto it. The thin ice shattered around him, and suddenly he splashed into the cold waters of the lake, which Atobe’s power had begun to freeze over on this section of shore.__

“I guess I’ll find out soon,” Atobe grinned.

A scream pierced the air. Sanada felt the pressure, and the cold, and thin fingers grabbing his coat, and yanking him out of the freezing water. He was practically thrown, unbelievably, up onto the dry part of the shore.

He scrambled onto his feet, his sword miraculously still in his hand. But he didn’t raise it, because that was the moment he saw it.

Yukimura lay flat on his stomach, his upper half fallen into the water where Sanada had just been, while his legs lay up on the shore. 

Large shards of ice protruded from his back and limbs in several places. 

Broken ice floated around him, knocking into his skin and hair. Blood was creeping upward on the ice shards, floating onto the water, pouring onto the sand at the shore’s edge. 

His head was under the water, and he didn’t move at all.

* * *

Fuji’s eyes flickered up at the windows of the second story, knowing one of those rooms was where he’d been held. He looked back at the door in front of him, deciding not to look again.

“You ready?” Momo whispered, and Fuji nodded at him, squaring his shoulders.

Momo opened the door.

He then grabbed Fuji’s arm so hard, the brunette winced as he was pulled inside. He stumbled across the doorway, barely able to orient himself before he came face to face with a scowling young man wearing a bandana.

“You found him, and then you brought him here,” the young man hissed. “What the fuck are thinking, idiot?” He hunched over, his hand fisting the top of the leather couch he’d stood up from.

“God, I just caught Fuji Syuusuke, and you’re yelling at me?” Momo grumbled. “. . . I thought he’d make a nice snack.”

“Of course you did, you’re always fucking overeating,” the viper growled. His beady, dark eyes sent the shivers through Fuji, who was still held tightly by Momo’s iron hard grip. “Master’s gonna be pissed.”

“Pft, I keep telling you, he doesn’t care,” Momo snorted. “We haven’t fed for weeks, and I can feel myself getting weaker. If Yukimura and Sanada show up next, how’re we gonna fight them?”

“Atobe is….tch,” the viper cut himself off. “Fine, so say Atobe loses, and they show up here.”

“At least I’ll die at full strength, with a nice taste in my mouth,” Momo grinned. He pulled Fuji close against him, in a sort of one sided hug that kept the hunter’s arms pinned at his sides. 

The viper looked down at the floor, then at Fuji, or more specifically Fuji’s neck. The brunette could feel his own pulse, twitching at the side of his neck.

“. . . I still don’t like you,” the viper hissed slowly. “But I know neither one of us want to go down without a fight. And Master’ll never forgive us if we run from a fair fight.”

Momo smiled, placing his hand on the side of Fuji’s head and pressing it against his chest, exposing his neck.

“Then, let’s at least get that nice taste.”

* * *

Blood red.

The lake, in Sanada’s eyes, was turning blood red. Blood seeped along the waters. It seeped along the sand. The water and sky reflected its dark color, glorifying it, changing the world. Sanada could feel his world changing. Suddenly, violently, not the slow, beautiful way it had after Yukimura came.

His eyes reflected it too. Filled with it, burned with it, until Sanada was sure it was pouring down his cheeks.

And then he heard a snort.

His eyes jerked to look at Atobe, who stood there with his hip out and his hand over his mouth.

“Really, the look on your face,” Atobe scoffed. “As if this would have turned out any other way -”

“I’ll kill you.” 

It came out in a low, quiet growl, but Sanada knew Atobe heard him. The vampire’s eyes widened, just slightly, as if he’d finally just realized what he’d done.

He’d awoken a monster in Sanada the hunter never knew he had.

Atobe jumped back, a few precarious steps away from the swipe of Sanada’s sword, followed by the hard swing of his fist. Sanada knew his own strength - he had cracked a vampire’s skull once, during a hunt, and fractured many of his enemies’ ribs with his bare fists. He knew his true strength lay in hand to hand combat, but it wasn’t something he could use against an opponent with a sword.

But now that he didn’t care about his own safety, his whole body became a powerful weapon, even against steel and ice. 

Atobe ran into the trees.

“Come back you coward!” Sanada roared. He charged into the forest, slashing branches out of his way. He ran blindly at first, until his mind finally caught up with him, and he looked around wildly for his prey. 

“You coward!” He screamed. “You - you pathetic -” He panted, his exhaustion hitting him along with an image of Yukimura, lying face down in the bloody lake. “You used some trick to beat him before, and you used another trick now. You never truly beat Seiichi. And you will never beat me!”

“We’ll see about that,” Atobe snarled. He appeared from behind a tree as suddenly as he’d done before, but this time Sanada was prepared.

He slashed in rapid successive strokes, several times in a zig zag. He roared in victory as his blade caught on Atobe’s cheek, drawing a deep line across it, but he knew this was nothing but a prick for a vampire. 

“Enough!” Atobe screamed, but he sounded exasperated rather than in pain. “I’m tired of playing with you.”

“Argh!” Sanada’s boot slipped on ice, and he barely managed to keep his balance. Atobe snarled and flung ice shards at him, which shattered against his sword. It was clear the vampire couldn’t make as big and powerful of shards here, further from the lake. 

But it was enough. Atobe had several trees between them now, and Sanada knew he had no hope of catching up.

“Understand this, hunter,” Atobe yelled, even as he put distance between them. “I let you live because my cousin sacrificed his life for you. I never wanted to kill Seiichi - but this is what our cursed destiny has done to us.”

The diva was then gone, vanished into the illusion of the trees. Sanada screamed, falling onto tree roots, tearing and soiling his uniform. He wailed, tears falling from his eyes as he squeezed them shut.

* * *

For someone who didn’t like lying, Momo was putting on a very good act, Fuji thought. His mind was too hazy to really think about it, though, and he closed his eyes, sighing as he felt his body life into a floating sensation. 

He was light headed, too light headed to think, and comfortably settled between the two young looking vampires, each of which held tightly onto one of his arms. 

Their fangs sank deeply into either side of his neck. 

He wondered if his life would always be like this. If he would always live as food for these creatures of the dark. He felt warm, pressed between them, and that feeling of euphoria, that came from the chemical in their fangs, swept through him and made him moan.

At that moment, he didn’t care.

* * *

“Watanabe!” Nanjirou shouted, no longer caring whose attention he attracted in the dense, endless forest. “Inoue! Kiraku!”

Sweat pearled on this temples as he let out a heavy breath, head swiveling from side to side. He used all the enhanced senses his vampirism had granted him, but the illusion was too strong. Other than the rustling of leaves and occasional flapping of wings, he seemed alone in the forest.

 _It can’t be,_ he shook his head in vigorous refusal. Even with the illusion, his team was too experienced to be separated like this. But one by one, they had disappeared…

First Kiraku, right after they had entered the forest. They’d barely walked for five minutes, and already all they could see was trees… and Kiraku was gone. Silently - and he’d never been silent for a minute in his life.

Watanabe and Inou agreed with Nanjirou, that Kiraku had most likely slipped back out the edge of the forest, outside of the illusion, and could no longer see where they had gone. Inuoue’s ability would let them move through the illusion, so they decided to go on without Kiraku.

But then Inoue too had disappeared. He’d stepped around a large tree, and when they turned to follow, he was gone. He wasn’t more than a minute ahead. A whistle should have been enough to call him, but the signal was never returned.

And then Watanabe… Nanjirou’s dearest friend, who had teamed up with him a few years after the vampire war. They knew something was wrong, now, and Nanjirou had fought the twins long enough to know they weren’t behind it. Atobe and Tezuka were already pushing their personalities’ limits by staying in hiding - they would never do anything so cowardly as to not battle in a direct confrontation. 

Watanabe had said they couldn’t split up. That he could sense someone was trying to force them apart, someone who wouldn’t dare fight them as a group. There were so many unknown vampires among the rebels, whose goals often splintered and clashed. Nanjirou and his team might be caught up in anything.

Watanabe had said that, and tied a string to each of their wrists. Even in the illusion, the string would be real and keep them connected.

Only a few minutes ago, Nanjirou had felt the string go slack, and turned to find Watanabe missing, and the string broken. 

“Guys…” Nanjirou called meekly. He’d had a bad feeling all day, which he thought had been worry for Yukimura. Now he was wondering if he should have worried more about himself.

He was old. Experienced, talented, but old… being a vampire made him look young, but inside and in his head he had all the anxieties and fears built up by the traumas of his long life. He’d been there through it all - the Vampire War, the decaying of the Echizen family, the reorganization of the Families into the twisted consortium they had now. When he became an elder, he’d learned the truth about the Yukimuras and the prophecies, and cried on to his wife’s shoulder for all the lies he helped the elders propagate, for what they claimed was vital to the organization’s image. He’d killed many vampires, and even some humans, through his work as a hunter, and the decisions he collectively made with the elders. 

He’d grown wearisome, afraid, and ashamed of so much. Only when he adopted Ryouma, had he found light again in his life. 

_Ryouma…_

“Nanoji.”

“Watanabe!” Nanjirou gasped, swirling around to see his friend, standing in front of a tree as if he’d been there all along. “What happened? I thought you’d disappeared, too…”

“She needed to work with us one at a time,” Watanabe shrugged. 

“She?” Nanjirou asked, eyes narrowing. There was something strange about Watanabe’s expression - he was smiling, but it wasn’t his usual loopy grin, but something a lot more lofty, as if he’d just noticed the sky was blue and the grass was green and how wonderful that was. 

“Yeah, it’s easier on her that way,” Watanabe grinned. “Thanks for bringing us all, by the way - she’s really happy you came. I’m glad she’s happy…”

“Watanabe… old buddy, there’s something wrong with you,” Nanjirou’s voice went cold, as he hardened his left hand’s fingers into claws. “I need you to snap out of it, so I don’t have to hurt you.”

“Hurt? Oh, she’d like that.” Watanabe looked giddy. The expression didn’t suit him at all. “But there’s something she wants us to start with first.”

“. . .Us?”

Even with over a hundred years of experience, Nanjirou wasn’t able to counter the blade that came hurdling at him from behind. He heard the sound of metal searing through the air, his instincts telling him it was just Kiraku using his boomerang to attack, and so it took him several seconds to realize what had happened.

“Aaaaah!” He fell out to his knees, mouth gaping in shock as he saw his own right arm laying before him, cleanly cut off above the elbow. He hardly even registered the gap in his side from where the boomerang had cut into him after searing off his arm. 

He extended his claws, his instincts finally kicking in that _he was under attack_ and his own best friend was just standing there, grinning at him. But hands grabbed his remaining arm, and more hands grabbed his left shoulder, holding him and his claws in place, and there were Inoue and Kiraku, back beside him… but with the same horrible grins as Watanabe.

“Don’t worry, boss,” Kiraku winked. “We’re gonna go with you, using my boomerang. Just think how happy she’ll be once we’re all dead.”

“No!” Nanjirou screamed. He wouldn’t let it end here - not his life, nor that of his teams. Whatever curse had befallen them, he had to fight it out. 

He struggled. He fought. They kicked him with their feet and knees, cut at him with hardened claws. But they didn’t kill him outright as he thought they would. Instead they surrounded him, got a hold of him - and then he felt it, their fangs sink into his neck, Watanabe’s on his wrist.

And then he saw her, standing among the trees of the forest.

She smiled at him. The same lofty smile as the others. It looked kind on her young, round face. He didn’t recognize her, but he knew what she was. She opened her mouth, and even though he couldn’t hear her, he read off her lips every word she had to say.

His eyes widened, but then slowly his lids drew close, as blood drained from his body.

* * *

It took several hours of wandering to find the lake again. Sanada had nothing to go on but the power of the illusion, which only let him see beyond the trees once he reached it.

He had to curve around the shore, but it didn’t take him long to see the stain. Most of the ice had melted, but thin pieces still bobbed along the surface, gathering round the shore. They were a stained with blood as the water around them.

“Seiichi,” he gasped. His lover’s body wasn’t there. 

He splashed into the water, not caring about the blood or the cold. His pupils dashed around. He looked across the lake, at the thick, dark waters. The lake was so wide he could barely see the trees on the other side.

“No…” He collapsed onto his knees. His hands entered the water, falling in several inches, and even with the dim light of sunset, he could see the lake grew deep right after the shore. 

Tears dropped into the water, tiny ripples disappearing into the lake. His fingers sunk into the sand, curling into it desperately. He pulled his hands back as he sat up on his folded legs - and his pinky struck something. 

At first he thought it was a rock, but it was too smooth. He pulled at it, realizing it was chain. He held up the chain, staring at the pendent it held. 

It was Seiichi’s pendent. The one with the Yukimura family crest engraved, the one his lover had worn around his neck, ever since the day Sanada gave it to him. Sanada knew it despite the muck, just rubbing his fingers across its surface and feeling the chain. He could see the chain was broken, most likely sheared off by one of the blades of ice.

He realized that was all he had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork from Neu that inspired the first scene with Momo! In her art you see Tezuka... err... I needed Momo to appear in this part of the story so, no Tezuka. Sorry Tezuka. Sorry Neumegami.
> 
> ["I won't allow it" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/07-001%20Allow_zpsl5zsdvmh.jpg)
> 
> ["I won't allow it" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/07-002%20Allow%202_zps7wobsmi8.jpg)


	8. Grave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shock, depression, and acceptance.

"It's been three days - he still hasn't spoken a word," Yagyuu told him, nodding at the door to Sanada's office.

Fuji nodded silently in reply, frowning just slightly with a calm professionalism as he stepped past the bespectacled vampire and placed his hand on the door's handle.

"I will take care of it," he confirmed cooly. "You are dismissed."

Yagyuu had always been told he had a cold demeanor, but it certainly didn't compared to a disturbed Fuji Syuusuke, he thought. The Fuji heir must have been irritated at his counterpart's inability to function after the death of a loved one. After all, when Yuuta died, Fuji had returned to work as soon as his health returned, without taking any time for bereavement.

He scattered, not wanting to be around during his boss's scolding, and checked to make sure his often meddlesome teammates did the same.

* * *

Fuji slipped inside quietly, but once the door was closed, he let go of his serious expression with a long exhaled breath. A small, gentle smile formed on his lips as he looked sorrowfully at his childhood friend, who sat on the office's couch. 

Sanada was hunched, unmoving, his face in his hands as if he were crying, but he made no sound to indicate he actually was. He didn't even respond to Fuji's presence until the brunette bent down in front of him, and took his hands in his own.

"Genichirou...." He rubbed the calloused palms, noticing how clammy they felt, hoping to get his friend's attention. "Please, Gen, I know how you feel, but please... at least eat something..."

A lunch tray sat untouched on the desk, a cold sandwich with chopped apple on the side, that had already oxidized to an ugly brown. Fuji sighed, shifting up onto the couch next to the unresponsive hunter, pressing as closely as he could. Sanada's eyes were empty, and his frown was small, which was actually a bad thing because Sanada always frowned deeply, angrily, and that was who he was, it was just a sign of normalcy and in a way, happiness.

Without it, Sanada wasn't expressing anything at all. He was still in shock, Fuji knew, and it hurt the light haired brunette to see his friend in such pain.

"I miss him too," he said meekly, though he knew it wasn't the same. But he did understand the black eyed hunter's feelings, from when he lost Yuuta.

He placed his palm against Sanada's chest, feeling his heartbeat steady and strong. Fuji knew the hunter was stronger than this. He leaned his head on the larger man's shoulder.

"Please," his voice cracked, his eyes moist for the sake of his friend, who he knew needed to cry but couldn't. "Gen, it would hurt him... Seiichi would be so hurt if he knew you were making yourself suffer like this..."

Hearing Yukimura's name must have done something, because Sanada shifted for the first time since Fuji entered the room. He placed his hand over Fuji's, looking at the honey haired hunter as if he was seeing him for the first time.

Timidly, large arms reached around Fuji, drawing him close. The brunette returned his friend's hug, rubbing his back in soothing motions. Encouraged, Sanada squeezed harder, but Fuji didn't mind.

"Seiichi..." Sanada whispered.

Fuji paled, uncomfortable with his friend's mistake. Sanada held him so tightly he could hardly breath. But he didn't move beyond that. They sat there, for minutes, for hours, the night growing long.

 _He’s just like I was after Yuuta died,_ Fuji thought.

Sanada was at a point he could no longer cry.

So Fuji cried for him.

The instant the first tears fell, the weight of Yuuta’s death slammed into him.

Yuuta was gone. Yuuta was really gone, and now so was Seiichi.

He had killed them. Yuuta with his own hands... Seiichi with his pointless obsession with Tezuka. He’d been warned. 

So many times, he’d been warned.

* * *

Momo fit in so easily with the other hunters, it was scary. 

Fuji still wasn’t quite clear on what they’d agreed to. Tezuka’s two offspring seemed to need his blood occasionally, and they were willing to trade their services for it… or something along those lines. It was easier to tell everyone Fuji was controlling them, so that’s what he decided to do. The only ones he fully confided in were Oishi and Sanada, once the commander showed some semblance of emotional stability.

The elders didn’t even question it, and that scared Fuji even more.

But slowly, the two former rebels were slowly fitting into his life.

Fuji actually preferred Kaidoh more, in the beginning. The snake-like vampire didn’t fit in at all. Everyone regarded him wearily, and he regarded them with equal weariness, and seemed completely unhappy to be there. It took him a long time time to open up to anyone, and even then, Fuji didn’t think he made any friends.

It seemed more natural that way, considering how long he’d been the organization’s enemy, and that made Fuji more comfortable. It was Momo, with his friendly grin that caught Fuji off guard. At first he’d liked him, then he’d doubted him, then he found he just couldn’t help but liking the spiky haired vampire anyway.

Fuji kept having to remind himself that Momo was only there because of the curse, because he wanted to drink Fuji’s blood. Even when they had a ‘session’, as they were now calling it, Fuji had trouble remembering that Momo and Kaidoh were his captives, and not the other way around. Sanada had set them up to be Fuji’s underlings in his group, seeming to have given up on forcing Fuji to properly recruit his own group mates, and it was fairly convenient. Not that many people in the organization even knew where Momo and Kaidoh had really come from - it was generally assumed the two had been turned by rebel clans, but had decided to follow the rules and join the organization.

“You know how it is, both sides did some pretty nasty things,” Fuji found Momo telling Oishi, a few days after they’d moved in. “War’s horrible like that. Thing is, I like people. I don't like killing them. It's kind of nice to be on this side, it feels like I'm one of the good guys now." 

“You really never broke any of the rules?” Oishi asked, his tone light and hopeful.

“Not just me - Kaidoh and Master Tezuka never broke ‘em either,” Momo grinned. “I know you all won’t believe me, but Ma - … Tezuka still remembers everything he was taught before he was turned. He said he really believes in the organization’s cause, the one Ryuuzaki Sumire started anyway, and he taught Kaidoh and I the rules too and made sure we followed ‘em. It’s just, you know… all this stuff happened, and now… we’re enemies. … But I’m glad we no longer have to be! … At least, you and me, Doc.”

“Oishi is fine,” Oishi replied with a smile.

They hadn’t noticed Fuji’d come in, anyway, so the brunette let himself out after getting the antiseptic he’d come for. He didn’t want to think about Tezuka… following the rules, saving orphans, wanting to make amends but being trapped by the conflict between the Families…

_... kidnapping Yuuta…_

… spying on him as he grew up…

…touching him gently…

* * *

Fuji breathed in deeply as he stepped into the graveyard, relieved to find the air so crisp and clean despite the thick fog that seeped through it. Already exactly three months had passed since Yukimura’s death, and even though nobody lay below his grave, Fuji was determined to show remembrance of him. 

_Did Sanada come after all?_ Fuji thought, when he reached the headstone and found it already clean, with a bouquet of daffodils left bundled in front of it. Fuji hadn’t been able to get the tall hunter to come with him, and the brunette let it go, understanding it was too soon. But now here was a bouquet, and Fuji doubted the other hunters who’d known Yukimura so briefly would come for a three month anniversary. Oishi and Eiji had accompanied him the first month, but Fuji decided to visit last month and this month on his own, or if he could manage it, with Sanada.

 _Perhaps this is better, that he had time to be here alone,_ Fuji thought. He laid down the single iris he’d brought, the purple petals contrasting nicely with the daffodils’ yellow.

He continued on, the remaining flower he’d brought trembling in his hand. He’d chosen a white gardenia, and he was actually thankful he’d come here alone so he could deliver it. He’d been too ashamed to let anyone know if he visited Yuuta’s grave, so he only came at times like this when he had the excuse of visiting another.

He gasped as he found Yuuta’s grave had been cleaned too. An identical bundle of daffodils had been laid beside the headstone.

And the one who had just laid them there was still there, straightening up.

Tezuka Kunimitsu stood still before Fuji’s eyes, his coat dark against the mist.

Trembling blue eyes looked at hazel orbs hidden behind glasses. Neither of them moved. The fog felt more like rain, and Fuji felt chilled to the bone.

“Have you come to take me now?” He whispered, once his throat remembered how to vibrate. “Now that you no longer have my brother as your hostage."

Tezuka looked at him for a moment more, then turned away. “No.”

 _Then why are you here?_ Fuji wanted to ask, but the words didn’t leave his mouth. He was feeling too many things. He looked down at the grave stone, at how meticulously it had been cleaned, just like Yukimura’s.

“. . . I gave you my children,” Tezuka spoke quietly. “That is enough."

"What do you mean by that?" Fuji snapped, his blood suddenly rushing in alarm. The vampire had spoken so softly with his back turned, Fuji wasn’t sure he’d heard right. Still, neither of them moved. 

Fuji stared at the daffodils. “Since I killed Yuuta, you no longer have anything of mine,” Fuji swallowed, feeling more courageous with Tezuka’s inaction. “And now, I have something of yours. Ironic, isn’t it?”

Tezuka looked up at him sharply, making him take a half step back. 

“You didn’t kill Yuuta, he - ” Tezuka quickly started, then cut himself off. He stared at Fuji so hard, the brunette forgot how to breath. “. . . I killed Yuuta. And I know apologies mean nothing in the face of that.”

Fuji dropped the gardenia in shock, as the vampire swept away, quickly vanishing into the mist.

* * *

Momo stepped into Fuji’s office as gracefully as he could, which wasn’t much, as he’d always been an awkward person. He couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious about Fuji calling him into his office, acting like the big boss he was to everyone else, but so far hadn’t quite been to Momo or Kaidoh. 

Their relationship up until now had been amiable. Momo and Kaido would pretend that Fuji wasn't out hunting their master; and Fuji would pretend that they weren't connected to the one he hunted. If it could even be called hunting at that point. 

It wasn't like Tezuka would want them to interfere, anyway, and Fuji was more than happy to continue his hunt in secret. Any other team members would have tried to stop him, or reported to Sanada who would definitely had stopped him.

The rule was simple: never talk about Tezuka.

That’s why Momo knew it was bad when Fuji started off with, "I saw Tezuka today."

As if the brunette’s aura weren’t messed up enough today, though Momo did like it when he got an explanation instead of having to guess. He’d learned decades ago that guessing never worked out anyway.

“He told me he killed Yuuta."

Momo felt a wave of miserable, at a complete loss for what to say. He couldn't believe his master would go so far. 

Fuji took his non-response as an invitation to go on. “I know he's lying to me.”

“My master never lies,” Momo blubbered. The least he could do was prop up his master’s reputation.

“But this time he is," Fuji reprimanded sharply, his eyes narrow and cold. "Tell me, why do I know he's lying to me?"

“Because he's a bad liar?” _Since he never practices,_ Momo added in his head. He supposed he didn’t have to point out that Tezuka was the silent type. 

“And?” Fuji glared.

“Because Yuuta was killed with a knife?” Momo could see where this was going.

“And?”

“Tezuka wouldn't kill with a knife.”

“He has his hands, he doesn't need to,” Fuji nodded, self-satisfaction streaking through his aura. “His claws are sharper than the kitchen blade I used to-" Fuji paused, his throat constricting as he stopped himself from continuing that train of thought. His aura was darkening, but Momo knew there was nothing he could do. “Why would he lie to me?”

“. . . Maybe he didn't want you to feel so guilty?" Momo tried. Sure, it was the truth, but it sounded completely unbelievable, even to his own ears.

Fuji snorted, obviously feeling the same. "I'm not asking you to make things up, I just wanted to know your - ... thoughts. Considering your connection to him.”

“We're not exactly his confidants," Momo sputtered. He felt so miserable, he thought he would melt right there in Fuji’s office. 

Fuji sighed and dismissed him, much to Momo’s relief. The vampire knew his new boss just needed someone to talk to, and only Momo and Kaido knew about how Tezuka and Fuji had been meeting. Momo supposed to he ought to be glad that Fuji finally trusted him enough to confide in him like that. 

Even so, he dashed out of the office like a roadrunner. He couldn't believe he just had that conversation! What was he supposed to say?! _My master's trying to protect you, because he loves you and doesn't want you to feel so depressed. But I can't actually say that because my master doesn't realize he loves you and that's why he does everything he does. And even if I did tell you, you wouldn't believe me, or think it's just some delusion he's having because he needs your blood._

"Argh!" Momo threw his arms up in frustration, startling a passing janitor. 

His two bosses were just so, so difficult.

* * *

Fuji didn’t believe that time healed wounds. There was no healing, for him or for Sanada. Worse, he kept thinking about Tezuka, and not as the one responsible for killing Yuuta, but of all the little things Tezuka had done over the years … watching him as a child, saving him at the masquerade, the many confrontations they had had… he couldn’t get it out of his head.

To further his guilt, after his meeting with Tezuka at the graveyard, he was beginning to feel better. His old close lipped smile came back to him, and he wore it easily among everyone, even Sanada. He found he could joke again, and he couldn’t stop himself from teasing Sanada now and again, as he always had when they were young. Somehow that seemed to help Sanada, too, as the commander was looking and acting just as he had before Yukimura had come appeared. It was like everything was back to normal, at least on the surface.

Yuuta was gone, but Momo was there, and even Kaidoh somehow added to the atmosphere. Fuji felt comfortable with them on missions, and even began to rely on them when he realized how protective they were of the one whose blood they relied on. 

He was even receptive to the idea of getting a fourth team member, after Sanada assured him he’d chose carefully. Before, Fuji would have torn the paper into pieces the moment it was handed to him, but instead, he took a look at the photo of this newest recruit.

He was surprised to see a young, ebony haired boy frowning back at him. 

_He’s so young,_ Fuji thought, setting the paper down on his desk with a frown. He scanned through its contents. “Echizen Ryouma? . . . Why. . .”

“Because he is new,” Sanada replied with a tone of finality. He looked a little disturbed he wasn’t getting more of a fight, at least, Fuji would have liked it if he was. “And you were  
new too once. You will learn just how much trouble you’ve been putting me through.”

 _Trouble huh…_ Fuji grinned, blue eyes on Sanada’s back as the commander turned away from him. Maybe this was what he needed - something new, something unrelated to everything he’d been through in the past few years. “. . . I love you, too.”

The instant reddening of Sanada’s ears made it worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^^; I think the story changed a lot from when Neumegami drew this artwork, but these lovely pieces are what inspired this chapter:
> 
> ["Yuuta's Grave" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/08-001%20Yuuta%20Grave_zpsrw1lq7kt.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta's Grave" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/08-002%20Yuuta%20Grave_zpsf71wik55.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta's Grave" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/08-003%20Yuuta%20Grave_zpsjfqnjse4.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta's Grave" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/08-004%20Yuuta%20Grave_zpsxm8wpkeu.jpg)
> 
> ["Loss"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/08-005%20Loss_zpsjuhwjxsk.jpg)


	9. Diary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to the present. Syuusuke and Ryouma exchange information. Despite the mysteries and the lies, they seek understanding...

Fuji told Ryouma everything he knew.

It was only when he started talking that he realized how much he needed to say it. To let it all out. All the things he’d kept as secrets, out of shame, or to protect his standing in the organization. It wasn’t that he actually thought telling Ryouma would fix anything, but he did feel better. He’d never even told Sanada or Oishi about the things that had happened when he was captured, about how he’d tried to rescue Yuuta but somehow ended up killing him.

About how even though he knew it was all Tezuka’s fault, he still couldn’t blame the hazel eyed vampire. About how whenever he saw Tezuka, he no longer knew what to do.

“Even after everything, I still went out hunting for him,” Fuji breathed. “I can’t even call it hunting, really… I just looked for him, and some times, I found him looking back. It was like he was following me too, and those times I’d just manage to notice he was there.

“I convinced Sanada to assign him to our group. I said we had an advantage, because his offspring were with me and we could use them. Sanada was too busy dealing with all the groups of hunters to worry about the twins, so I said my group would be in charge of any cases related to true blood vampires. No one really expected us to fully hunt either twin, anyway, but there were a few times we followed up on leads toward Atobe. And we know there are other true blood vampires in the world, even if the twins are the only ones left in Japan, so it made sense to designate a group of specialists.”

“My father was a true blood,” Ryouma murmured. “It’s a matter of lineage, isn’t it?”

“Yes…” Fuji spoke quietly. “The Yukimuras, the Ryuuzakis, and the Echizens were all families whose members could become true blood vampires. Except the Yukimuras, somewhere along the line, decided it was better to remain human and had been so for generations before Yukimura Seiichi and the twins were born. But very few know this...”

“. . . There was stuff about that written in my dad’s diary,” Ryouma stood, brushing off the back of his pants. They’d stayed in the alleyway to talk, hidden from passerbys, knowing that Tezuka wouldn’t be coming back.

Sanada never appeared, either.

“Diary?” Fuji asked, eyes narrowing.

“You shared everything with me, so I’ll share everything with you,” Ryouma shrugged. “After my dad died, my mom gave me a bunch of his things, his diary being one of them. I was able to crack open the lock… I think you need to read what’s in there.”

“. . . I see,” Fuji nodded, standing as well. “I assume it’s back at the dorms?”

Ryouma nodded, as they slowly trecked out of the alley. 

“We still need to find this idiot,” Fuji waved his phone to indicate Sanada. “Let’s make a few stops before we head back.”

Maybe there really was something special about working with someone new, Fuji realized.

For the first time, Fuji felt he’d found an ally he could rely on.

Someone new who doubted the organization.

* * *

“Che,” Ryouma couldn’t believe they’d come out here to stare at a bunch of graves. Fuji stood quietly over the gravestone for Yukimura Seiichi, giving a much smaller smile than he usually did. A fresh bouquet of flowers lay innocently at his feet, but Ryouma figured if Sanada had put it there, then it was too late, they missed him, and now the commander wouldn’t be back for a long time.

But when Ryouma spoke out his reasoning, Fuji just shrugged and kept staring. Ryouma starred too, for a little while. It was a sort of interesting gravestone, mostly because it was so plain compared to the many others. Many of those from the four great houses, and now the Sanada clan as well, were buried here; this had been their place long before even the vampire war. Many of them were all-out crypts, raised and hand carved with elegant artistry. The newer ones had whole photos engraved. But Yukimura Seiichi’s was simple, a classic flat arc, its only unique point being a necklace that had been embedded into the stone. Ryouma thought he recognized the pendant as having the symbol of the Yukimura family set into it.

That was kind of weird, he thought, since he knew it was the Echizens that had raised Seiichi. It was one of the more exciting stories his father had told him, about how the Echizens had saved Seiichi from his own family, who had tried to kill him. How it was thanks to their simple belief in him, in the prophecy that had been made for him, that Seiichi had been there to lead the Echizens against the cursed twins and all their rebel followers, when no one else would. 

It was a tragic story, though, because the Echizens had lost, leading to their ultimate decline, and Seiichi had disappeared. The twins claimed they had captured him, though no one saw him for nearly a century. Everyone assumed he was dead.

But he had re-appeared, and confirmed that he had been their prisoner. The stories about Yukimura Seiichi were unproportionate by that time - he’d been given the nickname, the Child of God, because his skills had been so incredible, it was said he’d fought against the twins and several low clan leaders all at once, helping many Echizens to escape before his capture. Despite his loss, the war had weakened the twins and their followers so greatly that they had been forced to a stalemate. The rest was history. 

Ryouma didn’t really know if the stories were true. Yukimura had been around for less than a year, and as Fuji’s story had gone, he’d been killed.

At least, that was what they’d all thought. Even Ryouma had heard when the great Yukimura Seiichi finally met his end. 

But if Sanada, his teammates, and the elders were right... then Yukimura Seiichi was still alive.

And he was no longer on their side.

Ryouma was bored now, tired of being lost in thought. He left Fuji to grave guarding, and strolled through the graveyard. It was actually a pleasant place, with soft grass and flowers at many of the stones, willows and other draping trees in just the right places, and near the center, a wide, gentle fountain.

He wasn’t alone. Sitting at the fountain’s edge was the most delicate girl he’d ever scene. It was _her_ , he realized, looking at her long braids, and her thickly layered, old fashioned clothes. It was the same girl they’d seen in the dark, with Tezuka Kunimitsu. 

She was even more beautiful now that he could see her in the daylight. Her auburn hair contrasted finely with her pale skin; her thin, pink lips pouched just a little, bringing out the light blush across her cheeks. She had a round, innocent face, and she really only looked a little older than him. Her eyes were the same soothing, auburn color as her hair, with them she stared off blankly into space, facing sideways from Ryouma. She didn’t seem to notice him. 

“Um, hello,” he said, and then immediately felt very foolish. He had no idea who she was, and she was almost certainly an enemy. 

But she turned her head slowly, a smile growing on her face as she saw him. “Oh, hello,” she said kindly, and Ryouma could tell she had no hostile intentions. It wasn’t that she had an innocent face, no, Ryouma would not be fooled by that; but her reactions were so slow, she was clearly relaxed, and besides, she didn’t know who he was, either. As far as she knew, he was just a normal human, maybe one of the tourists that drifted through here, the ancient graveyard filled with beautiful sculptured art. Art made for the dead.

“Are you, err, visiting?” Ryouma asked lamely, wondering what he should do. He was never very good at small talk, and he dared not give himself away. But if there was anything his father had taught him, it was that not all battles were won with a sword - especially when facing a girl.

Not that Ryouma had ever faced a girl before, not like that.

“Yes,” she said airily, and her smile was so sad. “My grandmother is buried here.”

“Oh... sorry,” Ryouma grumbled, hoping he hadn’t upset her. So she was just a normal human child, here to visit her grandmother... wait, he thought, cutting himself off. Most the graves here were old, especially those around the fountain, where the graveyard had started. It would actually make more sense for her grandmother to be from a family of old.

“Oh, no, it’s okay,” she replied kindly, still sad but her smile grew in tacit thanks. “She died along time ago.”

_So I was right,_ Echizen thought, but he schooled the triumphant smirk off his face and kept himself looking emphatically sad. People always told him he’d get in trouble for being a smart ass. It was easy, though, to show sympathy for this girl, with her pretty, sorrowful eyes, and her kind, innocent smile. _Wait, not innocent,_ he reminded himself again. _She looks pretty and young, her grandmother died a long time ago, and she was with Tezuka Kunimitsu._ Everything screamed of a true blood vampire.

Echizen felt very pleased with his own clever deduction, but was careful not to let on. 

“Are... you here with your parents?” He hoped he’d asked with just the right amount of hesitation. The good thing, at least, about having no experience with girls was that it probably came off as the right kind of awkward - that sad attempt at flirting kind. At least he hoped so.

She shook her head, “No, I haven’t seen them for a long time. They’re gone now.” She said the last part so softly, that if Ryouma didn’t have excellent hearing he would have missed it. “I was adopted by another family when I was little,” she said, surprising Ryouma with her sudden turn to cheerfulness. “I still remember my grandmother though. I have two brothers, who I love very much, but they’re from my adopted family. I’m sure they would come with me, but she’s not their grandmother, so it’s not the same for them, you know? So I come here on my own.”

It was strange, Ryouma thought, she seemed happy to have someone to talk to. He felt like he could kind of understand.

“My father died, a little while ago,” Ryouma blurted, and even he was startled by his own confession. “He was sort of a buffoon when he was alive, and we fought all the time, but … I miss him.”

It wasn’t something he’d talked about with anyone, not even Oishi who’d spent his entire medical interview trying to get him to open up about it. He’d told Oishi some things, he’d had to to stop the doctor’s nagging, but he hadn’t really wanted to. Now he just felt comfortable, talking to someone who was virtually a stranger, but who he felt could understand. 

She nodded, and her sympathetic smile was so beautiful, Ryouma found he couldn’t say any more. It was probably for the better, since he’d just said something out loud that he hadn’t even admitted to himself yet.

“Is he buried here, too?” she asked, smiling at him, her question very innocent.

But this was where his answer mattered.

“No,” he shrugged, sitting down on the fountain ledge with her, though he kept a little distance. 

It was a total lie. His father was here too, just a few gravestones closer to the fountain than Yukimura Seiichi. But Ryouma couldn’t bare looking at it, at his father’s marker, not when he still didn’t know the truth about his father’s death, not when he hadn’t yet avenged him.

“I just came to look at all the beautiful art. Saw this place on the internet, you know,” he shrugged. She nodded at him, her smile unchanging, and he hoped that she bought it.

“Yes, I suppose it’s very pretty here,” she continued, so he believed that she had. “I guess I never really thought about it. Whenever I’m here, I only think of my grandmother. I remember how she raised me, all the places that she took me, even though I was only a little child. And I grow angry, when I remember how she died.”

Ryouma considered saying something, but instead he chose his visage carefully, just the right mixture of sympathy and curiosity, expressed in his slightly raised brows. 

She returned his effort with a wide, close lipped smile. “It’s okay, you didn’t know. She didn’t die naturally... she was murdered.”

Just like Nanjiroh. Just like his dad.

“I always thought the murderers were... I was told the murderers were certain people. I’m not really sure anymore. It’s really horrible, how people can be, no matter who they are, what they are... they can do such terrible things. It makes me so angry, and sometimes I think, if only they all just-” She stopped, mid-rant, and stood up quite suddenly. Her smile had vanished as she spoke, her eyes narrowed under her long lashes, her voice grown hard. But she washed all that away with one wide, lovely smile. “Would you like to come see her grave with me? It’s been a long time since I had company. I think she’d be happy if I brought someone with me, even if it’s someone I just met, and you seem very, very nice.”

Ryouma nodded, hoping he looked dumb and not guilty like he felt. Here she was, talking about trusting people, and he was lying to her about who he was. She was being so open, so honest too. He could really feel her anger, and he knew that was who she really was, an innocent girl who had been wronged, and now lived in despair.

It stung. Everything this girl said was exactly how Ryouma felt. Angry at the people he’d been told killed his father. Angry at the people who told him, because he didn’t trust them, not after the message his father had left. Distrustful of everyone, wondering how his father could have been killed so horribly by people who were supposed to be his comrades.

He forced himself to keep his eyes on the girl, letting himself admire her pretty, flowing long hair, so that the anger would wash from his face. She moved so gracefully, so daintily and with such youthfulness, practically skipping between the rows.

They didn’t go too far from the fountain, and they stopped at one of the elegantly carved crypts, one raised and covered with roses and cherubs.

As he expected, the date of death was alarming, but it took all of Ryouma’s willpower not to gasp when he read the name.

Ryuuzaki Sumire.

* * *

[ Busy. Will meet back at ur office. Tell u then. ]

Fuji sighed and clicked off his phone. He didn’t know what Ryouma’s text was about, but he’d had a sinking feeling back at the graveyard, after he’d gone to look at Yuuta’s grave. There were no flowers there, so he knew the visitor to Yukimura’s grave had been Sanada, as the commander would only leave flowers there. Tezuka, Fuji had realized, always left the same flowers at both. 

He leaned back in his office chair, slightly enjoying making Momo and Kaidoh sweat while standing on the other side of his desk. Kaidoh refused to make eye contact, which wasn’t too unusual, but Momo was looking at Fuji with his jaw half open and sweat rolling down his cheeks. Whatever he saw in Fuji’s aura, it was making him nervous.

“Tezuka’d never kill a human,” Momo blurted.

Fuji snorted, but he couldn’t help but smile a little too. Momo at least had realized why the two had been left behind in favor of the new recruit. 

“I believe you,” Fuji said lightly, even though his eyes stayed sharp. “But I did see him at the latest crime scene. I believe he was looking for someone. Investigating on his own, perhaps?”

“He wouldn’t bother,” Kaidoh grumbled, sinking his hands deeper into his pockets. “He’d leave this kind of thing to the organization.”

“Unless he or his brother are somehow involved,” Fuji said darkly.

“Atobe wouldn’t do this either,” Momo vigorously shook his head. “He’s broken a few rules, it’s true, but only if he thinks he’s just bending them. He’d fight to defend himself but he’d never outright murder. And he likes being in the spotlight… he’d make sure you knew it was him, but like how he bragged about beating Yukimura at the end of the war.”

“Mmm…” Fuji tapped his fingers on the desk. He knew what Momo said fit the twins’ personalities well. That was why no one suspected them during the investigation. “. . . If they heard the rumors about the culprit being Yukimura, then that would definitely catch their interest. It would be quite disconcerting, learning your greatest enemy isn’t as dead as you thought.”

“I’m sure that’s it,” Momo melted in relief. 

Fuji never understood why the vampire, who’s special ability let him read others’ emotions, never bothered to hide his own. Maybe because everyone else was an open book to him, Momo didn’t understand the concept of masking one’s expression. 

“. . . I have some files to go through, so you're both dismissed.” Fuji’s lips twitched as he wondered when Ryouma would be back. “We’ll continue the investigation tomorrow… as a full team.”

“Yes sir,” Kaidoh bowed his head and slithered off.

Momo looked at Fuji for a bit longer, eyes watering with concern, but then he shook his head and left. Fuji decided that meant Momo wasn’t sure how to read him at the moment, which was how the brunette liked things to be.

He distracted himself with paperwork, refusing to even think about what would happen to Sanada’s workload the longer the commander stayed missing. _That idiot’s doing this to make me suffer,_ Fuji pouted. He scribbled out a mistake when he wrote the date wrong, frustrated when he ripped the page with his pencil. He hit his forehead with his hand. _Why didn’t he come to me for help?_

_Is it because I never went to him for help when I was chasing after Tezuka?_

He thought of that day so long ago on the beach, when he played with Sanada and Yuuta on the sand. Back when they were children. Back when Fuji’s greatest conflict was deciding which of his two favorite playmates he wanted to tease more.

The sound of the door closing shut broke him out of his memories.

“I know who she is,” said Ryouma, as he stepped towards Fuji’s desk. The lieutenant hadn’t even noticed the youth entering.

Ryouma was pale and serious, a thick, old looking book tucked under his arm.

“She?”

“The girl in the photo,” Ryouma grimaced. “I met her at the graveyard. She didn’t know who I was, but I thought she’d recognize you, so I couldn’t get back until she left.”

Fuji nodded for him to go on.

“She’s Ryuuzaki Sakuno.”

“. . . I don’t know who that is,” Fuji frowned. The fact that there was even a Ryuuzaki still alive…

“Oh…” Ryouma paused. “That’s right, you only know the fake history.”

“Fake history?” Eyes narrowing, Fuji stared hard at the diary. _What would an elder who was isolated from the other elders write in there…_

“The elders made a lot of crap up, so the Yukimura family wouldn’t look bad. They wanted to make Yukimura Seiichi the shining hero to inspire all, with the twins being terrible villains. They wanted to cover up their own mistakes, so they cut out the parts they didn’t like.” Ryouma set the diary down on the table. “But the Echizens sacrificed a lot in the Vampire War, so my dad made sure I knew the true history. And then his diary filled me in on all the details.”

“But I’m to be the next head of the Fuji family,” Fuji frowned. “Why would my own family lie to me?”

“You aren’t the head yet,” Ryouma shrugged. “I think they only let the other elders know, so they have better control over the information. My dad wrote a lot about the kind of deals they make with each other. They’re pretty dirty.”

Fuji sat quietly, not knowing what to say.

“. . . Then, I’ll start from the beginning. The elders started twisting history with the day the three Yukimuras were born…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no artwork specifically for this chapter, but Neumegami made so much lovely art for this fic ~ here are two pieces that don't attach to any specific chapter.
> 
> The first is an amazing piece of art she did for the fanfic in general:
> 
> [PROPHECY Artwork](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/PROPHECY%20Cover%20Art_zpseapgr2bf.jpg)
> 
> The second is a scene that I didn't write in, but it ties into Sanada scolding Fuji for all the trouble he causes. ^^
> 
> [Sanada scolds Fuji](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Sanada%20Fuji_zpsls7tnuiu.jpg)


	10. Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past...

Everyone in the four Families knew on what days a prophecy would be made, because on those days, Fuji Yumiko did not speak.

Every morning, Yumiko would rise, greet her maids and manservants, sit at a long wooden table with her servants beside her, and eat with them as though they were equals. She would then go about her day, making house calls to those who wished to meet with her, visiting her family or shopping in the nearby towns. She never milled around the house, or invited over guests, though her sisters and brothers visited her quite often. If there was nothing she wanted to do, she’d help the servants, cleaning the house, cooking food, or tending to the garden.

So when a day for a prophecy came, everybody knew.

That day, she was awake and dressed, long before even the earliest of the servants. She wore layers of long skirts and coats, cover herself with jewelry, but no one saw her put it all on. They found her sitting on the edge of the bed. She was not smiling as she usually would. She only moved when a maid took her hand, and led her to out of the house.

She didn’t talk. She didn’t eat. She didn’t even drink water. 

The carriage driver did not need directions. He knew there were only two places she could need to be. 

He decided it would be most proper to take her to the Yukimura family’s head, first. The time to travel there should not have been more than a few hours, but a fallen log blocked the road. By the time the driver found help to remove it, the sun had already passed its peak, and by the time they reached the main house, it was already afternoon. 

Dabbing sweat off his forehead, the driver hurried to remove his charge from the carriage. He did not think he had ever seen Yumiko more solemn. 

A baby’s wail pierced the walls of the house.

He hurried to lead her inside.

“We’re here,” he huffed, as he entered the room, Yumiko just behind him. He nodded to Yukimura Kunikazu as he passed, too rushed to give the full bow of respect the Yukimura clan’s head deserved. “Oh thank god, you brought both of them here,” he sighed in relief, as he counted two infants in the room, one sleeping in Yukimura Ayana’s arms, the other being cleaned by the midwife as it cried.

“Yumiko knew I would have twins?” Ayana beamed up at him, her happiness at being a mother overcoming the weariness of childbirth. 

“Twins?!” The driver gasped. “What about Yuuki’s child?!”

“She delivered this morning,” the midwife announced, as she bundled the quieter of the two babes and placed it in its mother’s remaining arm. “I sent her and the baby to rest with her husband. Didn’t expect to be so busy today.”

The driver’s mouth opened and closed like a fish several times. “Oh… no… Yukimura-sama, my apol-”

Yumiko placed her hand on his elbow, silencing him.

She turned and bowed deeply to Kunikazu, then smiled lightly at Ayana and her two infants. She moved toward them, waving her hands over both of them lightly. 

“The twins shall bring it to its end,” she declared. Her voice rang out like water, crystal clear, far more smooth and light and musical than it was on normal days. “They shall start the war, the war of vampires. And indeed, many vampires shall die.”

Ayana gasped, drawing her children closer to her. Yumiko moved her hand over the quiet one.

“This one shall -”

“Stop!” Ayana cried. She stood with strength a woman who had just birthed two children should not have, pulling her babies away.

The driver had seen this many times - he knew this mother no longer wanted to hear a prophecy about her children, no matter the tradition. Who would want to hear of their infants killing?

Yumiko fell silent, and turned away.

She turned her back on the woman and her children, and pointed towards a corner of the house, her bracelets jingling.

“Yes, ma’am,” said the driver. He’d been with her for several years now, and he knew what she meant. “We’ll be going to see the other child, then,” he nodded to Kunikazu, who returned the nod gravely. 

It was farther than he expected to the spare cottage. He could not understand why Kunikazu’s son, though younger, would not have higher standing in the Yukimura family and a house closer to his grandfather’s. But he had heard rumors that the young man had rebelled against his family’s wishes, and chosen a wife different from the one designated for him.

When the driver led Yumiko inside, he could see why. Yukimura Yuuki was young and pretty, and clearly strong, already on her feet despite having delivered that morning. She held an infant in her arms. The baby seemed to be asleep, but when Yumiko approached, it looked up at her with round, blue eyes.

“I’m glad you were able to come,” Yuuki smiled, but her shaky voice gave away her fatigue. She held her baby towards Yumiko, her eyes full of expectation.

Yumiko placed her hand near the child’s head, not quite touching it. The driver was sure now that he’d never seen the seer look so sad.

There was a strange moment of silence, before that crystal voice rang out again.

“He will be the opposition. He will stand with the vampires, war against the twins.”

Yuuki blinked, clearly not understanding, as Yumiko turned away. The driver knew the day was over now, as Yumiko made her way to the carriage by herself. He would take her home, and she would sleep the moment she reached her bed. In the morning, she would speak no more of the prophecies, and explain nothing no matter who asked.

He did not dare think about what she had said. He had not, in all his years working for her, seen her deliver two prophecies in a day, though she had told him early in the week to expect both mothers to deliver on the same day....

But it was not his place to think about it. He could only hope that whatever war she spoke of, it would not affect him or the Fujis that he served with his life.

* * *

Rumors spread faster than horses among the Yukimura manors.

“The twins will put an end to this plague,” went the whispers. There were many among the Yukimuras that believed not in the partnership between the Families, but solely in the hunt. “Vampire kind will be no more.”

They cared not that there were too many heirs born on the same day. They were too fervent, too excited over the prophecies. 

And they had another evil to point at.

“That child will be in the way.” These whispers were louder. They never hid their dissatisfaction with Yuuki, and they already were upset that her child had been born first. They insisted that Ayana’s children were the qualified heirs. 

“We must protect the twins from him,” they said. “The twins will put an end to those monsters once and for all.”

* * *

At the fine age of two, Keigo knew exactly what he wanted. He went straight for the big red ball, toddling across the playroom on his stubby legs, picked it up a best he could, put it down, and rolled it in front of him.

Kunimitsu didn’t run right into the playroom like his brother. He looked up at his mother, waited for her nod of approval, and then steadily made his way over to his twin. 

He pushed on the ball, making it roll towards Keigo, but Keigo didn’t push it back. Instead the light haired boy grabbed the ball and put it on the other side of him, making it clear whose kingdom the ball belonged in with a humph.

Kunimitsu said nothing, turned around, and went to pick up a different toy. He came upon the jumbled pile of wooden blocks, a letter of the alphabet carved into each one, and began to neatly stack them in order as best he could.

Keigo put down the ball, and wobbled over to Kunimitsu. He smashed down the pyramid of blocks, and they fell with a clatter, making the heads of the two caretakers and their mother all turn. As if to make it seem as if he wasn’t at fault, Keigo sniffed loudly, then began restacking the blocks. Kunimitsu picked one up to help, but Keigo grabbed it from his hands, and put it on top of his personal tower. 

Kunimitsu stayed silent, but stood carefully up on his own stubby legs, and made his way towards the rocking horse. Already, Keigo had stopped playing with the blocks and was looking at the horse himself.

The women went back to their chatter, already making plans for the twins’ third birthday, even though it was months away. They were in the middle of laughing about Kunimitsu’s obsession with balancing garden stones on top of one another, and Keigo was busy rocking on the horse, when heavy footsteps and the sound of a cane striking wood struck them into silence.

Kunikazu entered, his gray hair circled around his face. His frown was as deep as ever, but when his wrinkled, hazel eyes fell upon the Kunimitsu and Keigo, they softened. 

Behind him, Yuuki peaked out before coming into the playroom, pulling little Seiichi behind her. Toddling in with a smile, Seiichi showed none of the reservations of his mother, completely oblivious to the cold stares from the serving women, their tight lipped, disapproving frowns. Yuuki wrung her hands together and stayed closed to Kunikazu, averted her eyes from women, staying focused on her child.

Seiichi looked wide eyed around the playroom, waving with his stubby fingers at each of the twins. Kunimitsu waved shyly back, but Keigo didn’t even notice, too busy rolling around the ball from the bilbo catcher that he’d just snatched out of Kunimitsu’s hands.

Seiichi plopped down in the middle of the floor, and picked one of the many wooden soldiers that were scattered on the brightly colored play rug. He moved it up and down to show it was walking. 

Kunimitsu looked over at his brother, who was swinging the wooden wand and smashing it against the floor, and then over at the smiling boy, who was quietly waving the soldier in the air. He toddled over to the play rug, and carefully selected a soldier of his own.

“Hi!” Seiichi beamed, holding his soldier out towards Kunimitsu’s, and bobbing it up and down to show it was talking.

“Hi,” Kunimitsu timidly replied. His soldier nodded forward.

They played together with their soldiers, Seiichi giggling, and Kunimitsu giving a little smile of his own. They started lining up the rest of the soldiers into rows, and get bobbing them at each other as if they were talking.

Keigo finally came over, pouting out his lips, but instead of picking up a soldier for himself, he grabbed Seiichi’s hair and pulled.

“Owe!” Seiichi yelped, balled his hand and smacked it into Keigo’s face, forcing him to let go and hold his own bruised nose.

The women, who had been silently watching, began to murmur. “He’s already so violent,” one of the serving women loudly whispered, barely hiding her mouth behind her hand.

Yuuki shuffled her feet against the floor and looked at her father-in-law, who was watching his three grandchildren with what was for him, a grin. She looked at the floor, glancing slightly at the women, who glared back. She looked back towards the boys, opening her mouth to call to Seiichi – when Ayana came and stood next to her, putting her hand on her shoulder.

“Oh, you know,” Ayana said, her voice as cheerful as her smile, “I think Seiichi and Keigo are exactly the same size!”

“O-oh,” said Yuuki, her face relaxing with relief. “I suppose they are. But not the same as Kunimitsu?”

“Oh no,” Ayana grinned. The serving women were glaring at her too, now. “Kunimitsu is taller than Keigo. I think it’s why Keigo always tries so hard to get our attention,” she added with a sigh.

“I …. I think they’re getting along okay,” Yuuki said, her voice tittering nervously as she watched three boys, who were now smashing their soldiers together.

“Keigo really likes Seiichi,” Ayana assured her, cupping her cheek with her hand as she looked fondly at the toddlers play. “He pulls Kunimitsu’s hair like that all the time; it’s how he shows affection.”

Yuuki smiled, but she kept her arms tightly crossed. “It must be nice, having two. . . I wish Seiichi had a little brother or sister, but…”

“You don’t want to remarry?” Ayana said, her eyes quavering with sympathy.

Yuuki shook her head. “I can’t imagine being with a man other than my husband. I know it’s only been a few months since he passed, but… I can’t imagine my feelings fading, either.”

“I understand. What’s important now is Seiichi, right?” Ayana waved towards the children. “I know hunting is their job, but sometimes I wish my husband would have more time for these two… “

Slowly nodding, Yuuki fell quiet and went back to watching the boys, her eyes wistful.

Keigo started crying.

“It’s his fault!” cried one of the serving women, pointing at Seiichi who looked back blankly, holding a soldier high in the air as if it were flying. “He’s hogging all the toys. He won’t let Keigo play with them and he tried to hit Kunimitsu.” She put her hands on her hips as if she’d done her good deed for the day by speaking out.

“You can’t really expect anything better,” the other woman loudly interrupted. “Besides, these are all Kunimitsu and Keigo’s toys.”

“Maybe we should go,” Yuuki softly murmured.

“Enough!” Kunikazu slammed his cane on the floor, making even the children freeze. “This is my household. And these are all my grandchildren!” He glared at the serving women, and then at Yuuki, who shrank. Only Ayana kept smiling, as jovial as ever.

He cleared his throat almost musically, then made his way over to an armchair, and sat down with a plop. “And what I want to do right now, is watch my grandchildren play.”

Keigo had stopped crying, though now Seiichi looked upset, seeing how distressed his mother was. Kunimitsu crawled closer to him, and pushed out his soldier, tapping it against Seiichi’s soldier which was no longer moving.

It didn’t take them very long to get back into playing. Keigo seemed to have realized crying wouldn’t get the adults to interfere, so he made a game of gathering up as many of the soldiers as he could, while Seiichi did the same, and even Kunimitsu looked at his one soldier and tried to get a second one.

Soon the three children were playing and laughing, but the serving women, and the other servants who stopped by the room, looked at the dark, wavy haired toddler with cold, suspicious eyes.

* * *

Kunikazu lay comfortably on the futon, his breathes heavy and even. Very little hair was left on his head, but at least his wrinkles had somewhat relaxed. He looked the best he had in months, a strange lull in his condition, and for once, his expression wasn’t fretful. 

As he’d requested, his family filled the room - his daughter and her husband, his daughter-in-law, his grandchildren, his nieces and nephews and their children, and a few of the servants. Their expressions were plaintive, and even Ayana had lost her cheerful disposition, holding her father’s hand but failing to hold back her tears, which fell on the futon. 

“Now I wish to speak to my grandchildren,” Kunikazu’s voice rumbled, still firm even in his old age. Already he had said many words, gifted many things to each member of his family. They shuffled up, all except for the three five year olds and their parents, who looked at each other before beginning to stand. “Their mothers can stay,” Kunikazu nodded, looking pointedly at Kuniharu, who stood with a nod and excused himself. 

“Yuuki, I am sorry,” Kunikazu said, after the last door slid closed. Both women were wide eyed, never having heard him apologize before. Kunikazu was not in any way a man of regrets. “I know this night will be my last... I can no longer be here to protect Seiichi.”

“Father,” Yuuki cried, her eyes welled up with tears. “Please... don’t worry about us, I will protect Seiichi -”

“No,” Kunikazu breathed heavily, coughing a few times. “The discord in our family is too strong. There are too many that will raise a heavy hand, even against a child. I was not able to convince them...” He burst out coughing, and they waited with despaired eyes until his chest finally slowed to a steady heave. “You must take Seiichi and go quickly, this very night... you can take nothing with you. Go to the pavillion by the lake... I have arranged for someone from the Echizen Family to meet you. The Echizens have their own interpretation of the prophecies; they will protect Seiichi.”

Yuuki nodded, taking his other hand and holding it with her own. 

He turned his head to the side, to look over at her and the wavy haired five year old, sitting quietly seiza style next to his mother. “Seiichi,” he said, his lips curling up behind his white mustache.

“Yes, Grandpa.” Seiichi’s eyes were wide as he looked between his dying grandfather and his mother, who was silently crying. He reached up and took hold of her free hand, squeezing it with his little fingers.

“Remember that you are a member of the Yukimura family, always,” Kunikazu spoke with a heavy tone. “I trust you will inherit my will, and our family’s beliefs. I know you will bring our family honor.”

“Yes, grandpa!” Now Seiichi’s eyes were also full of tears. Even though he was still too young to understand death, he knew that he would never see his grandfather again, even though he loved him very much. 

“Kunimitsu, Keigo,” Kunikazu turned towards the other two, meeting each of their eyes. “I’m counting on you two as well.”

“Yes, grandfather,” said Kunimitsu, with a determined expression. Keigo mumbled something, and Kunimitsu elbowed him in the side.

“Yes, grandpa!” Keigo shouted, crossing his arms and pushing his lips into a pout. 

“I am proud.... no, I am happy, so very happy, to have you three as my grandsons,” Kunikazu smiled, broader than he had in his entire life. “You have brought me joy I never thought I could know.”

He looked at Yuuki, and she nodded slowly in turn, before standing and pulled Seiichi up with her. 

“Ayana, stay here with the twins,” Kunikazu instructed. “The longer you are in this room, the more time they will have before the others grow suspicious.”

Nodding, Ayana pulled Keigo onto her lap, and put her arm around Kunimitsu, her expression serious.

Yuuki slipped out through the door to the garden, her hand firmly around Seiichi’s, and together they fled into the night.

They had made it through the gardens, the five acres that surrounded the main house, when they heard the shouting. Yuuki heard the sound of leaves crunching, and turned and pulled Seiichi behind her, just in time as a man, one of her husband’s cousins, she knew, jumped from between the bushes. She raised her hand, steeling herself as his arm swung down, metal glinting off the moonlight as he swung down with a shout. She barely managed to push aside his arm, causing the blade to cut across her side rather than deep into her chest.

Before he could even finish his swing, her leg kicked up and struck him in the crotch. 

He doubled over, but not before she caught his eye, her dark blue orbs shimmering in the darkness. He could no longer hear or see, but his shouts were already drawing the other pursuers their way.

Sweat poured down her brow, but she scooped Seiichi up in her arms, and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She didn’t care for once that he was getting dirty, his clothes would be stained red by the time he arrived at his new home, but as long as she could get him there... nothing else mattered.

Trees blurred around her, but her feet picked up over every root, her head ducking under every branch, as the training from the days she was a hunter herself came to her. She was not afraid anymore, just determined, and she did not hear any of her pursuers near her. 

Seiichi was so quiet in her arms, so good, he was such a _good_ child and he just didn’t deserve this, but there was nothing she could do other than run. 

Finally she saw the lake, twinkling in the moonlight, and near the pavillion she could see a shadow, a silhouette faintly outlined by the water’s reflections. 

“Are you one of the Echizens?” She breathed out harshly, her warm breath puffing in the midnight air. 

He nodded, and she believed him, looking at his olive green hair that hung straight across his face, his long nose and other features that matched every Echizen she’d ever met.

“Echizen Yuudai, ma’am,” he said. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of round lenses, but his voice was kind.

That was good enough for her, she decided, thrusting Seiichi into his arms. He looked a bit startled.

“Go, quickly,” she hissed, holding her side. “I’ll lead them another way.”

“Ma’am,” Yuudai looked up at her in surprise. “Our household is large, we’ve made room for you too. We never meant to take in only Seiichi -”

“Just go,” she repeated. “All that matters is Seiichi. All that matters is Seiichi...” The sounds were faint, but she knew they were coming. “They knew I would run, but they won’t have imagined we’d have help. Besides, they aren’t interested in killing me... I’m still a member of the Yukimura household, once they see I don’t have Seiichi, they’ll leave me alone.”

He looked at her for a long minute, eyeing her up and down. His eyes came to rest on her dress, the torn fabric and growing stain obvious in the moonlight.

“My best chance is to return to the house,” she assured him. “Please...”

“I understand.” Yuudai set Seiichi down, and whispered something in his ear.

Seiichi walked over to his mother, and she took his hands in her own, then hugged him with everything she had. “Never forget that you are a Yukimura,” she told him, kissing him one last time. “I love you.”

“I love you too, mama,” Seiichi said, squeezing her tightly until she pushed him away, putting his hand inside Yuudai’s.

She didn’t have to explain. Yuudai strode quickly away, and though Seiichi kept his head turned to look at her, he said nothing more as he was taken away.

She watched them until they vanished into the trees, then took off in the opposite direction. 

Now she made noise; stomped on leaves, grabbed a fallen branch and hit against trees, and she went further and further into the forest, away from the path she knew Yuudai would have to take to return to the Echizens. 

Though they searched all night, it was only at the crack of dawn that they found her. She lay cradled against a fallen log, her hand clutched to her side, but the blood had flowed from her anyway, pooled in the leaves below her.

Two Yukimuras passed away that night.

* * *

“Is that is our little sister?” cried Keigo, running towards the entry gate and pulling Kunimitsu along with him by the hand.

Kuniharu chuckled as he stepped out of the carriage, then turned to lift the little girl he’d brought with him from the seat. The moment he set her on the ground, she ran behind his leg and clung to his pants with her firm little hands.

When the boys got near, she buried her face in the fabric, but still peaked out shyly every few seconds to look at them. 

“Hmmm…” Keigo looked at her with critical eyes, well, as critical as a seven year old can be. “She’s so tiny. What is she like, four?”

“I’m six!” The little girl cried, popping her head out from behind Kuniharu’s leg, but then hiding it again after Keigo made a face at her. It was pretty funny, though, how her two little braids stuck out on either side of her head, giving her away. 

“This is Sakuno,” Kuniharu smiled, patting the little girl’s head. 

“Why are we adopting her, father?” Kunimitsu asked, in a rather serious tone for a seven year old. He was always quiet and serious, which many of the adults found entertaining.

“It’s what the elders decided,” Kuniharu replied in just as serious of a tone. He knew how much it mattered to his younger son to understand everything. Kunimitsu was like a little adult. “But now that she’s here, you two are going to have a lot of fun taking care of her.”

“Is Sei-chan coming back?” Keigo blurted. It made sense to him that if they could get a little sister, they could have their cousin back too.

Kuniharu froze, wondering what he should say. He saw Kunimitsu was looking at him too, eyes round with expectation. “No,” he replied, in as gentle a voice as he could manage. “He’s gone to live with the Echizens.”

“Because his mom died?” asked Kunimitsu. 

“… Yes.” Even though Kuniharu had had no idea what was going to happen that night his father-in-law died, he still felt guilty thinking about it.

“If you and mom die, will we go live with the Echizens too?”

“No… you’ll go live with your cousins. But don’t worry, mom and I won’t die,” Kuniharu added, hoping Kunimitsu wouldn’t ask any more questions. He and Ayana had decided they wouldn’t lie to their children, but that didn’t mean he was ready to tell them everything. They were still only seven.

Thankfully, Kunimitsu went back to being silent. Keigo though had had enough of letting his brother be in the spotlight - he reached out and tugged on Sakuno’s braid.

“Owie!” Sakuno squeaked, and Kuniharu sighed, placing a hand on her back and forcing her forward. He knew Keigo hadn’t pulled that hard, but he wondered how his older son still clung to that baby-like habit. At least he knew it was Keigo’s way of showing approval.

“Come on, you’re all going to get along now,” Kuniharu said determinedly, as he led them back to the house.

* * *

Sakuno clapped happily as the flutist's performance came to an end. The bright smile on her face and the warm twinkle in her eyes were enough to make even Kunimitsu break a smile, as he politely bowed his own thanks to the flutist. 

Normally, Keigo would have smiled and laughed along with his siblings. But instead he had his arms crossed, and his lips dragged down into a deep frown. He was just so _angry_.

He’d insisted on accompanying their father on his mission, but he’d been refused. Worst still, they’d treated him like a child, telling him that he had to wait till he was older. He was already 12! Their cousin had been 12 when _he_ started hunting! It wasn’t fair. Keigo knew he was strong - he knew he was ready.

And then what made him really mad was that Kunimitsu didn’t even back him up. His bespectacled brother said they had to be patient, to wait until the adults said they were ready. Keigo pointed out that was bull shit, that Kunimitsu had beaten a hunter five years older than him in a duel only last week. But Kunimitsu had stiffened and gave Keigo the silent treatment, which he always did whenever they disagreed. 

Sakuno hated to see her brothers fight, so she had asked her mother to call the flutist. Keigo did like art and music, and normally this would cheer him up, but today it just wouldn’t. The moment the flutist stood to leave, Keigo dashed from the room.

He ran through the gardens, then out into the woods. Kunimitsu and Sakuno and he played so often in these woods he wasn’t afraid of getting lost. So he ran, looking back sometimes to see if his siblings were following him, and felt disappointed when he didn’t see them. Not that he wanted Sakuno to follow him… she would probably trip and scratch up her knees, or get lost even if it was some place she’d been a hundred times. She could get lost when they were five feet from their house, so Keigo decided she must have gotten lost right away and not been able to follow him. Knowing her, she would still try… she was just sweet like that.

Kunimitsu, though, could have caught up if he wanted to. If he didn’t, it was either cause he was busy pulling Sakuno up from falling or out from being lost, or because he was still angry too. 

_He was just as angry about not getting to go,_ Keigo scowled. _But he has to be a goody-two-shoes and listen to dad._

He ran out of breath when he reached the lake. Splashing into the water, he finally calmed down when he felt the cold seep around him. This was his place, where he always went when he needed to cool off.

He touched the surface with his fingers, making ripples. Then after a bit of concentration, trails of ice started to form around his finger tips, spreading out in beautiful web like patterns. He’d discovered his power a few years ago, even before his brother had discovered his. It made sense since the cold never bothered him, and since he always felt at peace when he was swimming.

He pulled off the layers of his yukata, throwing them carelessly near to where he’d cast off his geta. Kunimitsu would have folded everything, and it wasn’t really that Keigo was messy, but he’d gotten into the habit of _not_ folding everything as a way to counter his brother. Or really just to tease him, since he loved seeing his brother get upset over stupid little things.

Now that he didn’t have to worry about getting his clothes wet, he plunged into the water. After several minutes he’d swum to the center of the lake, and he took a deep breath, letting himself float peacefully on his back. He’d always have to live by a lake, he decided. 

The water calmed him as it always did, even more than his siblings ever could, though Sakuno certainly tried. He knew he’d hurt them by running away, but he just wanted them to understand how he felt. How important it was to prove himself, to prove how strong he was, as the oldest.

Though everyone thought Kunimitsu was older, because he was taller and always wore a serious expression. 

Keigo breathed out, amused he could see his own breath in the air. He’d accidentally chilled the area around him with his power, and there were thin islands of ice floating around him. He drifted with them to the other side of the lake, where the water flowed down into the valley.

He was carefully not to let himself get pulled too far, lest the current pull him in. They rarely went to the opposing shore, but that was where he felt like being at the moment, so he climbed onto the rocks that lined it and shook himself off. 

He was drying his hair by combing through it with his fingers, enjoying standing among nature and letting nature enjoy the view of him, when a very peculiar smell caught his attention.

_... Cigar smoke?_

Some of his uncles smoked, so he recognized the smell. He made his way carefully, regretting not bringing his geta, but he refused to let the sticks or pebbles get to him. His feet were already pretty tough from running around barefoot with Kunimitsu, though they’d always get scolded. Sakuno, of course, they always made wear her shoes. The twins knew she needed nice feet to grow up into a pretty lady.

He crept around the trees as silently as he could, but still the smoker spotted him, because by the time Keigo found him sitting on a rock, the man was staring at him with half-lidded eyes, blowing out smoke. 

Keigo stood up proudly, which he was very good at even at twelve. “I left my clothes on the other side of the lake,” he declared. He glared hard at the man, ready for any taunts thrown his way.

The man simply brought the cigar back to his lips, inhaled slowly, then let out more of the sweet smelling smoke. 

It gave Keigo plenty of time to stare at him. The man - old by Keigo’s book, but all adults were old in Keigo’s eyes - had blondish brown hair that curled around his head, and a narrow face, with sharps eyes to match his sharp nose and chin. He had some wrinkles around his eyes, so Keigo thought maybe he was as old as his dad. But he wasn’t anyone Keigo recognized from the family.

The man flicked ashes from his cigar and set it down, then stood and pulled off his jacket. “I know you aren’t cold, but I need you to wear this before someone sees you with me and gets the wrong idea,” he said, his voice a deep baritone. 

“Hmm….” Keigo shrugged as if he knew what the man was talking about, even though he didn’t, and put the jacket on. It was quite nice looking, and Keigo didn’t want to be rude by refusing it. It was too big on him, but he’d grow into it soon, he decided, so it didn’t matter if his hands were covered by the sleeves. “I suppose, as I am one of the heirs who shall inherit this property, that I should ask you for your name and purpose,” he declared, as he buttoned it on.

“My name’s Sakaki,” said the smoker, as he picked up his cigarette. “A meddlesome woman told me to come out here, but I don’t know this forest, and I ended up going in deeper instead of making my way out,” he sighed.

“. . . In other words, you’re lost,” Keigo sighed dramatically. He couldn’t believe an adult could get lost, just like Sakuno always did. “Well, I suppose as thank you for lending me your jacket, I shall guide you from among these trees.”

“I would be quite grateful,” Sakaki smiled, though it was a small, slight smile, like Kunimitsu’s. The more Keigo watched him, the more he realized the smoker looked quite serious, maybe like how Kunimitsu would look as an adult. Only they didn’t look a like at all, other than the expression. 

“First, though,” Sakaki continued, “we should go back to get your shoes. I wouldn’t want you to hurt your feet any more.”

“My feet are fine,” Keigo humphed stubbornly. 

Sakaki gave him a sharp, scolding look. “I’m a vampire. Even though the cuts are small, I can tell that they’re bleeding.”

“You’re a vampire?" Keigo looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Does that scare you?”

“No!” Keigo snapped. “. . . My cousin lives with vampires. They’re protecting him.”

“... Oh? What from?”

“My idiot relatives. They were mean to him when he was little. But my parents took us over to play with him a few times at his new house. The vampires there are very nice, and they said they wanted us to stay friends.”

Sakaki listened silently, as Keigo led them around the upper end of the lake, where they could cross the river that fed into it. 

“We haven’t seen him for a long time though,” Keigo chattered on. He liked talking, and he was excited to have found an adult who would listen to him. “Mom says they can’t get permission any more to go see him.”

“Do you want to see him?”

“Yeah! … I mean, _he_ wants to see _us._ He said there aren’t other kids our age at his manor, so he’s pretty lonely.”

“It is indeed very lonely to have no one from your generation around,” Sakaki added solemnly.

They came across Keigo’s shoes and clothes, so the pre-teen returned the jacket. 

“What’s it like to be a vampire?” He asked, as he tightened the knot on his obi. He decided when he grew up, he would wear western style clothes like Sakaki. 

“Lonely.”

“. . . Well, you don’t have to be lonely, do you?”

“I don’t have any family, and I don’t intend to make one, as other vampires do. Almost all of my friends have died, though I made a new one, lately. But she’s more trouble than anything else.”

“The lady who told you to come here?”

“. . . Yes. She’s knowledgeable but young, and unfortunately that makes her naive. She thinks I have some role to play in all that is to happen, but I’ve already retired.”

“Hmm…. so now all you do is smoke.”

He smirked “Yes, I suppose so.”

“. . . If you’re lonely, I can come visit you. Since I can’t visit my cousin.”

“What about the rest of your family?”

“They’re annoying. Well, not my brother and sister. Well, sometimes they’re annoying too. Sometimes, I just want to get away from them all.”

“Then… you can get away from them while visiting me, and it’ll be like killing two birds with one stone.”

“Is that really okay?” Keigo beamed up at him. There was something really exciting about being invited somewhere without his siblings. For once, it was all about him.

They were almost to the edge of the woods. Keigo didn’t want to go back to the manor, and Sakaki didn’t indicate that he wanted to go there, either.

“Yes. But it’s a bit too far to walk… you might have to wait till you’re old enough to travel there on your own.”

“I know,” Keigo replied, not feeling deterred in the slightest. He already knew how to ride a horse, it was just a matter of sneaking out with one. He could already think of a few ways in his head. “How do I get there?”

Nodding, Sakaki pointed north along the road. “There’s another lake fed by these mountains here. It looks quite like yours. My home is near there. You can’t find it… it’s hidden by an illusion. But you can find the lake if that’s what you’re looking for. I’ll know when you’re there and come meet you.”

“Okay…” Keigo looked doubtfully towards the mountains.

“There’s also a small town that you’ll come across by following this road. Once you get there, just enter the forest and wander until you come to the lake.”

They walked together for a while longer, but the sky was starting to change and Keigo knew his siblings would be pretty worried by now. 

“You should head back to your family,” Sakaki said, before Keigo got a chance to say anything.

The pre-teen shrugged, but after a few minutes he waved goodbye. “I’ll come visit you soon,” he promised, before he started running down the road.

He was almost to the entryway of the main house when he heard a shout, “Keigo!”

Swinging around, he saw Kunimitsu running toward him, pushing up his glasses as they slipped down his nose. The brunette was covered in dirt, both around his clothes and his face, and he had a few twigs in his hair.

“What happened?” Keigo blinked, trying to remember the last time he saw his brother in such disarray. It was pretty cute, he decided.

“You were gone for hours,” Kunimitsu panted. “So we started to get worried. Sakuno cried so hard I sent her to her room to take a nap, and promised to go looking for you.”

“. . . Oh,” said Keigo, starting to feel a little bad. He did admit, this was a lot longer than it usually was for him to cool down, but it was only because he’d been talking and walking with Sakaki for so long. “Well, you knew I’d come back on my own. You didn’t have to be _that_ upset.”

“Sakuno was sorry she couldn’t cheer you up,” Kunimitsu sighed. 

Keigo smiled and stepped down towards him, and began brushing the twigs out of his brother’s hair. “I’ll apologize to her when she wakes up.” 

The brunette glared up at him, that frown of his a little deeper than normal.

“I’m not going to apologize to you, though,” Keigo said stubbornly. “You knew I was fine on my own.” He pulled a little on Kunimitsu’s hair, liking how his brother tried not to react.

“. . . I know,” Kunimitsu murmured, staying still until Keigo got bored and let him go. “I’m sorry . . . I was frustrated too.”

Keigo smiled, glad his brother was finally able to say his real feelings. He hated how his brother kept everything in, even from his own twin.

“Am I in trouble with mom?”

“We told mom we were going to go play in the woods.”

They snuck into the house through the back. The main house was pretty isolated though, so no one would be worried about them. Keigo stopped by Sakuno’s room, but she was sound asleep on the bed, so he went back to the room he shared with Kunimitsu. They’d been given there own rooms, but Keigo refused to sleep separately from his twin, so his room was just a play room now.

He lay back on his futon, waiting for Kunimitsu to wash up and a maid to call them for dinner. He thought of the man with light hair and a cigar in his mouth, and wondered when he’d get to see him again.

* * *

Sakuno sparkled in her ivory colored dress, her smile just as bright as the twins led her down the steps, one on each side. The brothers were just as finely dressed in suits of their own, each with his own unique tail coat, bow tie, and golden lapel pin. While both pins bore the emblem of the Yukimuras, Keigo’s was an elegantly unbalanced oval made to represent a water droplet, while Kunimitsu’s was a perfect circle enclosed by a ring of silver. 

They let Sakuno go at the bottom, so they could go around and great their guests. 

“Happy fourteenth birthday, Keigo, Kunimitsu,” Kuniharu smiled at them, as they came to shake their father and uncle’s hands. Kuniharu had been proudly telling his brother-in-law of all his sons’ accomplishments, despite their young age.

Kunimitsu didn’t really like the attention, and Keigo was bored of it, being perfectly well aware of his own greatness, so they went to greet other guests. Not only was most of their family there, but representatives from the other three families as well. Seiichi wasn’t there, but they’d already expected that - their parents had finally explained why Seiichi had had to leave, how the Echizens were protecting him and it was too dangerous for Seiichi to be around so many Yukimuras, especially since they weren’t sure who sided with the extreme elements of the family.

Both brothers agreed the whole prophecy business was rubbish. They’d decide their own destinies, and they remembered Seiichi fondly and had no intention of fighting him. Seiichi had written them a letter, wishing them happy birthday and attaching a small present, and they’d sent him a present in return. They didn’t believe he wanted to fight them, either.

So when they spotted Fuji Yumiko, they approached with sour faces. Well, Keigo did - Kunimitsu looked exactly the same, but Keigo was sure his twin agreed with him.

Yumiko smiled lightly at them in return. “Happy birthday,” she said kindly, curtsying with her long skirts. In her many colors and large jewelry, she stuck out quite a bit among the other formally dressed guests. “You two have grown considerably since last year.”

“Thank you,” Kunimitsu politely replied. Keigo decided his brother could do all the talking this time, since he’d decided he didn’t like Yumiko and besides, Keigo had done all the talking to the guests up till now.

“You should enjoy your birthday,” she said, clasping her hands together. It sounded like she was just making polite conversation. Keigo noticed she wasn’t standing with anyone like everyone else was - she seemed to be there all alone. There were at least two elders from the Fuji family there, and a few of Yumiko’s cousins and children who must have been her nieces and nephews. But they were all conversing with each other or those from the other families.

In fact, the three of them were somewhat sectioned off on their own. Keigo didn’t even see Sakuno around. 

“Can you really see the future,” he blurted, deciding this was his chance. 

Yumiko’s smile softened, her eyelids drooping a bit, as she answered. “I see many futures. There are many people, and many choices they must make, that will decide which future becomes real. It is my burden as a seer, to try to guide us towards the future that will be best for all of us.”

“Why do you get to decide?” Keigo frowned, thinking of Seiichi and Seiichi’s mother. That their mother Ayana did not like Yumiko and her prophecies had impressed upon him, and it colored his opinion of the seer. 

“I wish I knew the answer to that too,” Yumiko sighed, still smiling. In fact, Keigo couldn’t ever remember seeing her without a smile, though it was usually a small, tight lipped one she seemed to force on her face. 

Kunimitsu must have decided the conversation should stop there, because he bowed a polite goodbye and pulled Keigo away. Keigo felt annoyed he hadn’t brought up the matter of the birth prophecies more directly, but he had been feeling pretty uncomfortable anyway in the face of Yumiko’s demeanor, so he let it go. The whole thing gave him a sick feeling in his stomach.

They nibbled on the food, avoiding the other children their age, who were far below them in skill, and looked around for Sakuno. They finally saw her in the corner of the ballroom. It looked like she’d been talking to a couple Keigo thought were from the Ryuuzakis, as they disappeared out the door leaving her by herself. She turned around so they could see her, and her face was completely white.

Looking at each other, they made their way over to her to see what was wrong. She didn’t even notice them until they were a few feet from her.

“Brothers,” she said, in what was somewhat of a greeting but gave away her distress with her shaking voice.

“What’s wrong?” Keigo asked with narrow eyes. He looked out the door towards where the two Ryuuzakis had left, but they were no where in sight.

“Nothing’s wrong at all,” she said, but she was obviously lying. Keigo thought he’d wait till they were back home to get it out of her, but then she tilted her head towards the stairs where they’d descended. 

Getting the picture, the siblings made their way among the guests, giving pleasantries here and there and pretending to enjoy themselves, before saying they wanted to freshen up. They went back to the second story where the changing rooms reserved for them were. It was a finely constructed venue, and little noise from the party downstairs drifted up to where they were, giving them privacy.

The moment they closed the door to the boys’ dressing room, Sakuno burst into tears.

“Keigo… Kunimitsu,” she sobbed. “. . . I have a confession to make. Please… please hear me out till the end.”

“Of course,” Kunimitsu said without hesitation. Keigo nodded as well, and they led her to the bed to sit.

“You’re both in terrible danger tonight,” she burst, though she kept her voice down to a harsh whisper. “We can’t let them know I’m telling you.”

“The people you were talking to?” Keigo asked, his eyes narrowing along with Kunimitsu’s. 

“Yes, they’re…” she paused, taking a few shaky breaths. “I … I have to tell you everything.”

They sat on either side of her and squeezed her hands, assuring her they were listening. 

“You know that I was adopted by your parents, a little after Cousin Seii left. The elders said it was to balance the Families… a member of the human Yukimuras left to live with the vampire Echizens, so they decided a member from the vampire Ryuuzakis should join the Yukimuras.”

She shook her head, as if shaking away thoughts. “But it was all a ploy by the Ryuuzakis. The elders representing the Ryuuzakis convinced the others to make the trade. They said I needed a new family, because my parents died when I was very young, and Grandmother Sumire, who’d decided to raise me herself, was…. died that year too.

“I was only five. But the elders told me I was being sent to spy on the Yukimuras… really on you two, the twins of prophecy.”

Keigo looked up at Kunimitsu, who looked stoically back, but Keigo knew his twin was equally shocked.

“I didn’t know what that really meant, but I kept it a secret. Then we all got along so well… every year on my birthday, a member from the Ryuuzakis reminds me of my role, but I just pretend to play along. I never - ! I love both of you, please believe me. . .”

“We do,” Kunimitsu said firmly, squeezing her hand.

She brightened up after hearing his confident reply. “They never really asked me for anything of value, anyway. They just wanted to know what your personalities were like, and if you two are a… a threat, I guess. B-but tonight. . .”

She sniffled, using Keigo’s pocket handkerchief that he handed her to wipe her nose. “. . . They told me they’re ready to make a move. . . that they’re going to _kill you_. . .” Her voice dropped to a whisper. 

“They can try, but they can’t beat us,” Keigo replied immediately. He knew they were strong, he wasn’t afraid of some cowards who relied on a little girl to do their dirty work.

“They’re going to ambush the carriage on the way home,” she whispered. “I’m supposed to make sure everything goes according to schedule. They're going to block the path of the carriage, and then I'm supposed to ask to get out and walk around and get you two to follow me. Then they'll attack us when we're outside the carriage.”

“We’ll beat them in a fair fight,” Kunimitsu said confidently. He had, after all, just beaten their own instructor in a dual a few days before. 

“But it won’t be fair,” she shook her head rapidly. “There’ll be many more of them than us. And they’ll have weapons - neither of you brought your rapiers to the party, and Keigo, it’s been a dry summer,” she added scoldingly, seeing the look in her older brother’s eye. 

“If they don’t play fair, we won’t either,” Keigo said thoughtfully. He pressed his fingers against his forehead, a weird habit he’d been developing lately whenever he was thinking during their lessons on strategy. “I know what we’re going to do.”

* * *

They bid their guests farewell with a flare, the last to arrive and among the first to leave. They’d followed the rest of the night’s etiquette to a T - mingling, pretending to associate with other kids their age, and showing extra attention to the members from the other three families. They thanked their parents for the party, as they would be the last ones to leave as the hosts.

They left their clothes upstairs, as was customary. They’d only changed at the venue to be sure nothing would ruin their perfect suites, but now that the party was over it didn’t matter as much. It was always fun, waiting until every guest arrived before coming downstairs. And normally they’d have just as much fun laughing about how most of the guests couldn’t leave until they did.

But even though they were laughing, this time it was all fake. The moment they got into the carriage, they looked at each other with serious faces.

Sakuno pulled out the jar full of water she’d hidden under her skirt. The twins hadn’t been sure she could do it, carrying it out like that, but they’d kept the attention on themselves the whole night, and all members of the Ryuuzakis seemed to have disappeared anyway so they seemed to be okay. 

They waited a few minutes for the carriage to roll forward, until they at least couldn’t see the lights from the mansion the Families often used for large events. Keigo touched the bottle with his palm, and soon icicles were dancing around his hand. Kunimitsu cracked open the carriage door, just enough that the icicles could slip out under Keigo’s command.

A few, heart pounding minutes passed.

“Who-whoa!” The carriage driver shouted. The sound of neighing horses and cracking whips followed, and then the carriage ground to a halt. 

“Oh my, I wonder what is wrong,” said Sakuno, in an exceptionally loud voice. “I’m going to go out and see.”

Her acting was terrible, but Keigo supposed even if she was working with the Ryuuzakis, she’d be doing the same horrible act, only a few miles further down the road where the ambush was really supposed to happen.

“We’ll accompany you,” Kunimitsu said solidly, without batting an eye.

The three of them shuffled out of the carriage, going out both doors.

“It-it’s nothing,” said the carriage driver. “The horses’ just got spooked a bit.” He waved them back into the carriage.

They nodded, and all piled back into the carriage through the same door and closed it firmly shut..

What they prayed the driver didn’t see, was that they all piled out of the opposite door, closing it noisily behind them.

The plan worked. Already feeling embarrassed by the stop, the driver quickly hurried the horses on, assuming the teens were back in the carriage. 

They didn’t wait around too long, afraid that their would-be-attackers might be nearer than they thought, and hurried back towards the mansion off the road. It took them awhile to get back, and their clothes were ruined from all the dirt and trees they’d cut through, but they knew it didn’t matter. 

“Why are the Ryuuzakis trying to kill us anyways?” Keigo asked in a loud whisper. They hid in their parents’ carriage, knowing it would be the last one to leave the party.

“Because of the birth prophecy,” Sakuno shivered. “They think you two will kills all these vampires… and they’re vampires, so…”

“Put two and two together,” Keigo nodded. He imagined he’d do the same, if he were in their shoes. “But they’re wrong. Kunimitsu and I would never kill vampires that didn’t deserve to be killed, just like our dad and the other hunters.”

“Maybe they’re afraid because they deserve to be killed,” Sakuno said mournfully. “After what they tried to do tonight. . .”

“They didn’t succeed,” Keigo cut her off. He didn’t want his innocent little sister to have to think that way. “So they aren’t murderers yet. We just have to show them that we’re friends with vampires. We can start by being friends with Seiichi’s family.”

“Agreed,” said Kunimitsu.

They stayed quiet after that, until they heard the frantic yelling.

“They’re okay, they _must_ be okay!” They heard their mother gust. Ayana sounded frantic, worry spilling out of her voice.

“We’ll find out what happened,” their father came in, his voice deathly cold in a horrible way they’d never heard before. Their parents were clearly getting closer, and Keigo could only hear two sets of footsteps so he was sure they were alone.

“We’re okay,” he cried, bursting from the carriage with his two siblings in tow.

“Keigo!” Ayana gasped. “Kunimitsu! Sakuno!” Tears streamed down her face as she grabbed all three of her children and drew them into a huge. 

“What in god’s name happened,” Kuniharu stated, his voice still cold to the point of shaking. “Some guests found your carriage on the other side of the hill, ransacked. You three missing and the driver dead.”

“Dead?” gasped Kunimitsu. They’d guessed he’d been part of the attack, paid off by the Ryuuzakis to lead them into the ambush. Otherwise, they would have warned him too.

“Mo-mother,” Sakuno choked, crying just as hard as Ayana. “I have something to tell you -”

“Not here. Back at home, where we’re all safe,” Keigo interrupted, pointing toward the carriage. “The attackers are still out there, and we don’t know who’s helping them.”

Kuniharu looked at his son with respect, more than his usual measure of pride - for the first time, Keigo felt his father saw him as an adult. 

“Tell us everything,” Kuniharu said.

They piled into the carriage, taking an alternate route home, tearing quickly through the night.

* * *

They lost the freedom they used to have. Keigo hadn’t been able to visit Sakaki before, and now sneaking out on a horse on his own was impossible. He didn’t want to worry his parents any more, either, even though he knew he could protect himself. He would even bet an unplanned trip to the middle of nowhere was safer than staying at the main house, but he respected his parents’ wishes to stay with his siblings and under the watch of the many Yukimuras.

They told their parents everything, and of course they were all keeping Sakuno’s secret, but some how, everyone found out anyway. It seemed the fact that she was formerly a Ryuuzaki was well known, and the Ryuuzakis had become the prime suspects in the birthday attack, once the guests pieced together that how some of the Ryuuzakis had moved around that night.

Since there was no proof, and the twins refused to let Sakuno openly confess, the elders of the Families made no open accusations, but there was a cold tension among the alliance of vampires and hunters. It didn’t help that the twins - and Seiichi - were rapidly approaching their fifteenth birthday. 

This time, the day came and went without flare. Keigo was annoyed - he loved the parties, despite all their politics - dressing up, being the star, even if he had to share that star with his brother. Kunimitsu had always hated them though, and pointed out that this was better since Seiichi never got a party. Hearing his cousin’s name calmed Keigo down. The silver haired teen had fond memories of his cousin, and always wished they could meet again and put the rubbish of the prophecies to rest in everyone’s mind.

The real worry though was Sakuno. Many members of the Yukimura household, both family and staff, were treating her differently. She was getting dirty looks, and often a cold shoulder. The twins began to notice she wasn’t getting proper care - they found her cleaning her own room, since the maids were no longer doing so, and the favor she’d always gotten as the only girl was gone. She didn’t complain about it, but they could see how much it hurt her to be ignored by everyone around her except her immediate family.

It was a cold winter night, dark and starless, when Kunimitsu shook Keigo awake with a finger over his lips. 

“There was noise,” Kunimitsu whispered. Keigo knew whatever it was must be serious, since Kunimitsu wouldn’t mistake night time sounds for anything alarming.

They crept out of their room, relying on their night time vision. They knew how to open the door without making it creek, and popped their heads out as best they could.

It took all of Keigo’s willpower not to gasp.

Two men stood in the hallway wearing masks - and they were pulling Sakuno out of her room, still in her nightgown, hands bound and mouth gagged. 

Kunimitsu and Keigo exchanged a heavy look. They didn’t need words to know what they were going to do.

Kunimitsu grabbed the foil by the door, even though it was Keigo’s, but Kunimitsu’s was in the training hall. Keigo created a blade of ice in his hand, sharpening it as best he could, glad there was plenty of water in the air at this time of night. 

They charged.

“ - Mmm Mmmm! -” Sakuno screamed beneath her gag. The men shoved her forward in front of them, making her fall onto the ground, as they took defensive stances.

Kunimitsu held out his sword, and Keigo knew it was only his presence and Sakuno’s that was keeping his brother from using his power. Keigo rushed to help Sakuno up, pulling her toward them.

“We don’t want to hurt you,” said the taller of the two men, and Keigo’s eyes went wide as he realized it was his uncle’s voice. “We’re doing this to protect you.” He waved at Sakuno with his sword. “These monsters will hide in the guise of even a young girl.”

Kunimitsu kept his sword raised, as Keigo pulled off Sakuno’s bindings. Tears laced around her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall, doing her best to stay strong as the three of them backed up in the narrow hallway.

“Give her to us,” the second man said, his voice gruff but Keigo was pretty sure it was one of his older cousins. 

They didn’t dare answer, instead dashing into their room as soon as they backed up enough to reach it. Keigo slammed his ice shard against the door, transforming it and whatever other moisture he could collect and sealing the door off with ice. 

“Sakuno, wear Keigo’s shoes,” Kunimitsu commanded. The twins quickly put on shoes too, and then they were out the window, and dashing into the woods. 

“Those two weren’t working alone,” Sakuno cried. “A servant must have put something in my dinner. I didn’t wake up until I was already gagged and they were dragging me off the bed.”

“There are more of them,” Kunimitsu said darkly, pointing from their hiding spot behind a group of trees towards the front of the house. “There’s a carriage - they must have planned to use that to take you away.”

“It was the soup,” Keigo said suddenly. “Kunimitsu and I didn’t eat it, because we came back late from practice and the roast was already there. But Mom and Dad did, and they both said they were tired and went to bed early.”

“They can’t help us, then,” Sakuno shuddered.

“We can’t go back to the house,” Keigo determined. 

“Then where _do_ we go?” Sakuno said desperately.

Keigo considered their options. No one in their family was safe - as far as he knew everyone but their parents thought Sakuno was a spy. And the Ryuuzakis were of course out - even if the twins went back to live with their parents, how could they trust the Ryuuzakis to take care of her? They had already been horrible to her, sending her to spy when she was only a little girl, and putting her into this danger. The Echizens . . . Keigo didn’t know how they felt about the prophecies, whose side they would take, if they would be like the Ryuuzakis and think the twins were destined to kill all vampire kind. And he didn’t trust the Fujis, whose prophecies had started all this mess in the first place.

“Away. . . . Some place nobody knows us. Some place no one from any of the Families lives.”

He didn’t say where that was, and they didn’t ask. The three siblings quietly escaped through the woods, and out into the dark night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one picture for this chapter. Neumegami was so brilliant, coming up with the politics between the families, and how they played into the twins' lives.
> 
> ["Siblings"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/10-001%20Brothers_zpstrkrymyr.jpg)
> 
> (I deviated from the historical European clothes and all... I never learned from Neumegami what country the fic is set in, so I imagined it was a alternate universe (made-up) country in a world where vampires exist. I also don't know what half twins are... I assumed Keigo and Kunimitsu are fraternal (obviously).)


	11. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siblings find their place, yet death follows...

“Happy Nineteenth Birthday, Seiichi.”

Seiichi looked up at Yumiko, who was smiling down at him politely. Sitting apple style on the floor, he pulled the toddler by his side onto his lap, creating a small physical barrier between them. “Thank you, Yumiko-sama,” he smiled back just as politely.

She never brought him a present much to his relief, but she did visit him every year. Always in the morning, as if to make up for the fact that she had skipped visiting him first at his birth, as would have been tradition.

Seiichi didn’t blame Yumiko for his mother’s death, nor her prophecies. He knew it was the heretics, the most right-wing members of the Yukimura family who were at fault. But that didn’t mean he felt comfortable around the seer, who had too calm of a demeanor for his taste.

She was good at hiding herself, just as he’d learned to be.

“Is this Nanjiroh?” She reached down to pat the toddler on the head.

“Hi lady,” little Nanjiroh giggled. 

Seiichi sighed, wishing his little brother would be more fearful around strange adults. But while Nanjiroh was a bit shy around men, when it came to women, especially young women, his eyes lit up and he was the friendliest four year old around. 

“You really shouldn’t have come here,” he said as he left Nanjiroh with one of the servants. They walked together through the rose garden Seiichi tended to himself. “It’s not safe, with all the attacks. . .”

“No one from the Fujis or Echizens have been attacked,” Yumiko replied solemnly. “And the elders of the Ryuuzakis and Yukimuras are still cordial in Council meetings.”

“I suppose you have nothing to be afraid of,” Seiichi murmured, staring at one of his roses as an excuse to look away from her. “You’d know if someone was going to attack you.”

“I don’t see the future as clearly as that,” Yumiko hummed. “In fact, there are many futures that I see.” She turned towards him, her smile gone and her eyes serious. “But when I prophesize over a child at birth, I speak only of the future that will bring him happiness.”

Seiichi kept his lips tightly sealed. 

“But futures are interwoven, and the future of the Four Families is delicate. I dreamt of many paths. And among them, I found one with a happy ending.” She touched Seiichi’s hand, encouraging him to look at her. “I will not live to see this ending that I pray for, this future that I hope will come to pass. It is a painful journey, but. . .”

Her honey brown hair fell over her face, covering her eyes even though she faced him. “Seiichi, you will live to see it. This future includes your happiness as well."

Seiichi didn’t see how, but again he kept his lips sealed. He’d decided he didn’t care what she said, or had said. He was going to do what he had to to protect his little brother, whose parents had taken him in and raised him like he was really their son. 

But already, dead bodies were appearing among the Yukimuras and the Ryuuzakis. The twins had run away, a little before Nanjiroh’d been born, and no one had heard a word from them for almost four years. But it seemed even without the twins, and even though he himself hadn’t taken an actions, a war was starting to brew.

“Become a vampire,” Yumiko continued, her voice dropped low. “Don’t wait till you’re of age. There’s no time.”

Seiichi couldn’t help his jaw drop, and he accidentally grasped the rose, crushing its petals and pricking his fingers as well. It was the first time Yumiko had ever advised him. Usually she said only things cordial or vague or meaningless. 

“What’s going to happen?” He whispered, feeling his blood run cold. Was she saying he would only see this mysterious future of happiness by becoming un-aging?

Her usual smile returned, and she drifted away from him without another word. He thought about following her, but didn’t really see the point, sure that she would tell him no more.

The truth was, he hadn’t been planning to turn at all. His adopted parents had turned, the year after Nanjiroh was born, once they decided they wouldn’t have any more children, and while he didn’t dislike their new form there was something uncomfortable about the way they no longer changed, no longer ate or even laughed the way they used to. He knew that the Yukimura family creed was never to turn, and he’d wanted to honor his grandfather by holding to it.

He walked back to Nanjiroh’s play room, his head starting to pound. He didn’t know what to do.

* * *

“Sorry, Tezuka, for making you work so late.”

Kunimitsu looked up from where he was carefully sanding the back of the dresser he’d been working on all day. He’d grown used to the fake name they had decided on upon arriving in this town.

The kindly carpenter, who’d given him an apprenticeship despite his lack of experience, nodded sympathetically toward him as he continued his own work on one of the dresser’s drawers. “Your friends must be worried about you - you should go ahead and I’ll finish this up.”

The first thing they’d done when they settled was remove the fact that they were siblings. For once, Keigo and Kunimitsu were glad they didn’t look a like. Spies from the Families would be looking for twins and a girl, so they took different family names, and no one in the town even guessed that they were related. It was Keigo who came up with the name Tezuka - something about Kunimitsu having a godly hand when it came to wielding a sword. He’d then insisted that Kunimitsu chose a name for him in return, but Kunimitsu knew there’d be consequences if he didn’t chose well, so he’d forced the choice back on Keigo, who’d decided on Atobe. 

Sakuno said she was tired of deceiving people with a fake last name, so they’d decided she wouldn’t have any. It wasn’t so uncommon, especially for a girl, and it sat well with their story that they were orphans who’d decided to run away. 

They’d been accepted by the small town, mostly because they were willing to work and old enough to actually contribute. Kunimitsu had gotten his job first, since the older man had needed help and Kunimitsu showed aptitude. 

The town had quickly employed Sakuno as a messenger girl, then just as quickly fired her since she always got lost. She’d moved around a few households as a maid, but been terrible at cleaning - finally, she’d been taken in by the town bakery, run by two sisters who’d taken a liking to her. Keigo came off as too haughty for most jobs, as most of the townspeople preferred his quiet and serious companion, but after a year he’d been hired by the town magistrate, once they realized how well he handled reading and managing records. 

It was a hard life, compared to what they’d grown up to. They worked hard, long hours; they made mistakes, they were scolded, and often they barely had enough to eat and pay rent to the family that rented to them a small cottage behind their house. But Kunimitsu found great pleasure in it, whenever his employer praised his work, which for once he knew was genuine and not just a way to suck up to the Family heir - and in the work itself. He never knew the joy of creating something with his own hands until he finished his first table.

He didn’t think his siblings were as pleased with their new life, but he knew they were determined. They would live as normal civilians now - no more politics, no more violence, no more fear of one or more of them being killed. 

“I’m almost finished, then I’ll leave,” Kunimitsu nodded firmly in reply. 

He was checking the wood for splinters when he heard a scream.

“Ryuuzaki!” A gruff, man’s voice yelled, followed by the sounds of crashing and pounding on the capentry’s outer walls.

_Sakuno!_ Kunimitsu dashed from the workshop, ignoring his employer's shouts not to go outside.

Outside on the dirt road, two men were fighting. One was bleeding badly from the chest, a deep slash clear across his front, while the other yielded a wide sword, his slashes tenacious as he tore down. 

“This is the end, Ryuuzaki!” The swordsman yelled, clearly the gruff voice from before. He raised his sword high, and lept for the finishing blow.

But the other man swept upward in an impossibly smooth motion, despite his injury, his long red hair swirling around his neck. He raised up his hand, and his fingers twisted and stretched, turning black and hard and growing into incredible claws, that pierced the screaming man as he fell.

With a claw run straight through his chest, there was no way the swordsman was still alive. But the redhead couldn’t seem to hold him skewed upward, as the claws shrunk back to nothing, and the swordsman’s body came tumbling down.

All this happened so quickly, Kunimitsu barely had time to run towards them, let alone intervene. Neither man was moving, and when Kunimitsu got close, he could see the redhead was also dead. His head was tipped back in a silent scream, his eyes red and bloodshot, and Kunimitsu could see fangs pointing from his mouth.

The broadsword was deep within his ribs.

“Tezuka! Tezuka! Are you alright?!” The carpenter called frantically from his shop. “You must come back in - the vampire might still be alive!”

Of course it was a vampire, Kunimitsu realized, his eyes growing wide. He was in shock, seeing death before him for the first time, and they’d been isolated in this sleepy town for so long, they’d forgotten about the creatures of the night. 

He looked at the broadsword, and his breathing stopped when he saw the Yukimura family crest embedded in its hilt. And then he couldn’t stop himself, stop himself from looking closer at the swordsman, whose head was twisted unnaturally to the side, revealing half of his face.

It was his older cousin.

The same cousin who’d tried to kidnap Sakuno four years ago, along with his uncle, who’d said they were doing it to protect the twins. And there was no doubt in Kunimitsu’s mind that the vampire was a member of the Ryuuzaki clan, with his distinctive red hair and all of his cousin’s shouts.

“. . . He’s really. . . dead?” The carpenter had finally crept out to where Kunimitsu was, trembling as he took hold of Kunimitsu’s arm. “We should go back inside, there may be more of them. They can’t enter a building without welcome.”

It was an old myth, but Kunimitsu decided not to correct him. If it made him feel safe. . . 

“Why is a vam - . . . how do you know this is a vampire?” Kunimitsu asked, hoping nothing he’d done had given himself away. His voice, at least, was as stoic as always, hiding the panic that was fluttering through his chest.

“He turned his hands into claws,” the carpenter hissed. “And they are beings of darkness. I should have never made you stay so late, nor stayed so late myself. The rumors must be true… those who protect mankind are growing weak, and now these demons have begun to rise…”

Kunimitsu didn’t want to hear any more. He bid the carpenter goodnight, as they both just wanted to go home, and he went quickly back to the cottage.

* * *

“This is my fault.” Sakuno plopped onto the couch, her dark red hair flowing around her. “I shouldn’t have run. Then things wouldn’t be like this.

“They were going to kill you,” Keigo hissed. He leaned back against the corner of the wall, one leg crossed over the other. “This is better - now they’re killing each other.” 

“The Families worked together, in harmony, to bring peace between mankind and vampires,” Kunimitsu mourned. “Now that harmony’s been broken.”

“So what?” snapped Keigo. He crossed his arms, brows narrowed together. “The Families can war all they want. No one knows we’re here. We’re safe from them.”

“Are we?” Kunimitsu glared. “Our cousin died before my eyes tonight. They’re here, in this town. The carpenter's heard rumors of them. They’re in other towns too. We aren’t that far from the manor. The fighting will spread, and soon we’ll be recognized. We can’t hide here forever.”

Keigo pressed his lips together in an angry sneer. It had been his idea for them to stay in a town not too far from the Yukimura properties. He felt they would be safer from pursuers, who would assume they’d hide further away. And it had worked, as this was the first time they’d seen any hint of the Families, and it hadn’t been related to them.

Kunimitsu was right, though, and all three of them knew it. And there was always that lingering fear, that somehow Yumiko’s prophecies were true, and they’d be drawn into a war against vampires. 

Even if she wasn’t right, Keigo knew many believed in her words, and that the moment they were discovered, they’d either be killed - or used as pawns. 

“I can stop this,” Sakuno said suddenly, rising from her seat and dashing out the door.

“Sakuno!” Keigo called. His adopted sister was running as fast as he’d ever seen her, hitching up her skirts as she trailed dust along the road.

Kunimitsu put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from running after her. “She won’t get far on foot,” he reasoned. He calmly opened the chest they kept by the door, pulling out Keigo’s foil along with the saber they’d bought for Kunimitsu once they had enough money. “I don’t think we should go out without these any more, at least not when it’s dark.”

Keigo accepted the sword grimly. 

What they didn’t expect was the sound of a horse breying. They ran outside, to see Sakuno dash by on a horse, which they realized she must have stolen from the family they rented from.

“We’ll take the horse from the magistrate’s,” Keigo cried as he ran, knowing his brother was close behind him. He was still glad they’d taken the time to grab the swords, feeling better now that they had something to defend themselves with. He had a horrible sinking feeling that they would need them.

They were equally fast runners, and it wasn’t long before they were dashing off after their sister on the magistrate’s thoroughbred. This horse was used for delivering messages between towns, large enough to hold both brothers, and it wasn’t long before they saw the dust trail from Sakuno’s clydesdale. She was charging on, miraculously in the right direction, but the Ryuuzaki household was too far away for her to possibly reach in one night.

“She’s going back to the manor,” Keigo gasped. He realized that was Sakuno’s plan, to turn herself in.

She wasn’t so stupid as to think that would stop things, but Sakuno had said once, a few weeks into their escape when only Kunimitsu had a job and they were homeless and starving, that if only she had gone with the men, the twins would have been fine staying with their parents. She’d gotten yelled at of course, and never spoken such things again.

But Keigo knew she’d always felt guilty.

“Sakuno, stop!” He yelled, as Kunimitsu brought the horse alongside hers. Her hair swept widely in in the wind, but Keigo knew she must be crying.

“Keigo,” Kunimitsu said seriously, and Keigo looked in the direction his brother was facing, eyes widening as they saw the same thing.

Smoke was visibly coming up from beyond the forest, where the Yukimura manor was. 

“Mom and Dad. . .” Keigo gasped.

“I have to do something,” Sakuno cried. She yanked the reins of her horse, urging it on faster. The twins had no choice but to follow after her. 

They reached the manor in a matter of minutes, smoke overwhelming their nostrils, and they could see the main house and a few of the other buildings on fire. 

Sakuno stopped her horse and dismounted, trembling as she took in the scene. The twins dismounted as well, running toward her.

“Look after her,” Keigo shouted to Kunimitsu. “I’m going to look for our parents.” 

He took off running towards the main house, his heart racing a mile a minute. Already the fire was billowing from the ceiling, but he covered his mouth and nose with his shoulder cape and made his way toward the front.

The entry doors were fallen inward, and he could see it wasn’t from the fire. They’d been kicked in by something powerful, probably a pair of vampires. The smoke wasn’t so thick he couldn’t see, and he realized the fire must have started from the roof. He could feel the heat, and already flames were licking along the hallway walls and onto some of the furniture.

“Mom!” He cried, blinking away the smoke stinging his eyes. “Dad!”

A plank crashed down from the ceiling, driving him to urgency as he forced his way toward the hallway. Furniture and all sorts of things lay in disarray - broken vases, dumped books, torn portraits - a fight had torn the place apart. He tried calling water to him to protect himself, but the air was too dry from the fire.

He kicked aside a fallen table, finally reaching the entrance to the hallway, when he saw it. Behind the antique couch, Kuniharu lay unmoving, face down on the carpet. Not too far from him was Ayana, fallen on her back, her eyes pointed blankly toward the ceiling. He didn’t see any blood, but any number of abilities could have done this, and he didn’t have to get closer to know they were dead.

“Mom. . .” 

_If only we hadn’t run away…_

He heard a crash and a series of bangs. _That wasn’t falling debris_ , he thought, and raced down the hallway towards the noise.

A man stumbled out of what had been the twins’ bedroom, hitting the hallway wall with a bang and sliding down along it. Keigo ran toward him just in time to catch the claws of a vampire with his sword, as she came tearing out of the bedroom.

She turned to him with a shocked hiss, her short red hair flipped around her head. 

“Aaargh!” Keigo shouted as he forced his sword upward against her unnatural strength, forcing away her claws. He had no water to use his abilities, but somehow he knew that moisture was there - flowing, pumping, she was overwhelmingly full of blood, somehow he knew it, far more than what was her own.

The image of his parents, lifeless and pale in the entry room, flashed through his head. He reached out, not with his arms but with his powers, and somehow he knew he was calling to the water that filled her body, changing it, making it his.

She screeched, collapsing to the ground. He realized he hadn’t done that much damage, other than surprise her, but that was enough - he slashed down his sword right through her neck.

Her head flew backward into the room. He dared not look inside.

He turned to the collapsed man, who was breathing heavily as he sat up against the wall. Keigo’s eyes widened as he realized it was their uncle, the man who’d tried to kill Sakuno, who’d driven them to run away. 

“They were planning this all along,” the man said, his voice cracking. “Even before they sent that girl to spy on us.” 

Keigo looked him over, and saw the heavy gashes in his arms and legs. The hallway was full of blood, and it wasn’t from the vampire. 

“They always meant to kill us,” his uncle rambled, even though he could barely speak. “Slaughter the little humans that make them follow rules, heheh,” he gurgled. “But I know you will avenge us.”

Suddenly he was looking at Keigo, his eyes clouding with blood. “I always knew you and Kunimitsu would be back. There is something you must find - a weapon, one that will destroy all vampires.” He coughed, and Keigo didn’t need to look closely to know there was blood. “Kunikazu knew where it was. He told that stupid little baby Seiichi where it was - he left the secret with a five year old! . . . We were going to torture it out of him when he escaped.”

The man gurgled, and Keigo knew he was shouting with his last breath. “Find the weapon! Destroy them - destroy them all!”

* * *

Kunimitsu wanted to go after their brother, but he dared not leave Sakuno’s side. The fire on the main house was growing, and he feared for his parents and his twin. 

Shouts in the forest drew his attention. 

“We have to stop them.” Sakuno put her hand on his shoulder, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Kunimitsu drew his sword and nodded, knowing she was right.

He didn’t go far into the forest, when he heard Sakuno’s shout. He turned to see a man in a hunter’s coat dashing from the woods towards her. The hunter wielded a long staff, and Kunimitsu was helpless to stop him from twirling it and smashing it against Sakuno’s head.

She crumpled to the ground.

“No!” Kunimitsu shouted, not too far but too far to act.

The hunter was already running away, and two more people flew out from among the trees, a teenage boy and girl with red hair and hardened claws. They caught up to him in an instant, slashing down across his back and piercing him into the ground.

Kunimitsu ran to Sakuno’s side, but he didn’t have time to look at her as the two vampires turned towards him, fangs bared. 

They lept toward him, but Kunimitsu was ready. They both crashed down before even getting close, victims of his power, and he didn’t hesitate to decapitate them both.

“Sakuno.” He kneeled down beside her, cradling her head with his hands. She had a gash against her temple, and her eyes didn’t open. But she was still faintly breathing.

“Help!” He cried, looking around. The woods around him were strangely silent, and all he could hear from the houses was the sound of burning and fiery destruction. 

Then the neigh of a horse reached his ears, and he stood to see it galloping towards them. Its rider’s hair flew back wildly in the wind, along with her skirts, and his eyes widened in disbelief as Fuji Yumiko reigned the horse to a stop.

“I made it,” she panted breathlessly. She dismounted, and in a moment knelt beside Kunimitsu and Sakuno.

“I know nothing of healing,” Kunimitsu moaned, waving his hand over Sakuno’s wound. “Please, can you help?”

Yumiko nodded. “There’s a spell I can cast.”

Kunimitsu shifted to give her room, laying Sakuno carefully out on the ground.

“How - Why are you here?” Kunimitsu asked, as Yumiko began waving her hands in a swirling motion over Sakuno.

“I came to see if I could change something,” said Yumiko. She spoke in the same voice as she had at their birthday party. She held one hand hovering over Sakuno’s chest, while tracing the fingers of the other along Sakuno’s forehead, drawing out a symbol with her fingertips. “If I stop her here. . . “ 

Sakuno’s eyes shot open, and her body began to convulse, her mouth falling open in a silent scream.

“Stop!” Kunimitsu ordered, not knowing what was happening. He grabbed Yumiko’s arm, forcing her fingers from Sakuno’s forehead. 

There was an explosion. Something like darkness, something like light. It spread out like shattering glass, and Kunimitsu could feel it hit him with a sickening wave.

He stumbled back dizzily, his knees buckling and he fell onto the ground, landing on his rear. A ringing filled his ears, and the world spun around him.

He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to bring them back into focus. Sakuno was still on the ground, close eyed and motionless once again, and now Yumiko was on the ground too. 

Yumiko’s eyes were unnaturally wide, and her body convulsed slightly as Sakuno’s for a moment had.

Kunimitsu leaned forward, seeing her mouth open and close as she tried to speak.

“Why. . .” He looked at her mournfully, wondering why this had happened. He did not need to know anything about spellcasting to see that she was dying.

“Because if she had died here, so many people would have lived.” Her voice was like a thick gravy, but her eyes reflected stars. “One last . . . prophecy . . .” She coughed, her chest shuttering up and down. 

“There will be a child among my descendants. One who can... end … this…” She was choking on her own blood, though Kunimitsu could see no open wound. “...the blood.. . . cursed. . . You will know. . . him. . .” Her eyes glazed over, her lips sending out one last murmur, “Look. . . for him. . .”

And then she was gone. 

Kunimitsu tried to stand, tried to get over to Sakuno to see if she was okay. But the dizziness and the ringing in his ears was getting stronger, and darkness was creeping around his vision, and the ground was growing closer. . .

* * *

Keigo fled from the burning house, minutes before the roof caved in. He’d thought about recovering his parents’ bodies, but realized the cremation they received here would have to be enough. He wanted to mourn, or show some sign of respect, but that would have to wait till later, when he could stand together with his siblings.

The other buildings were burning as well. His relatives’ houses, the training hall, the servants’ houses and work rooms, the tea house. . . all of it was disappearing in the hurricane of flames. 

He couldn’t hear anything over the fires. He could only hope that some of his family and their servants had escaped.

_Sakuno. . . Kunimitsu!_ He looked around wildly for any signs of life. Racing towards where they’d left the horses, he found both steads secured to the entry gate, and another saddled horse was standing near them, untied. 

All he had to go by was the light from the fires. He decided that whatever enemies might remain, he could defeat them. “Kunimitsu!” He shouted. “Kunimitsu!” 

He knew his brother would come to him, as long as he was nearby. Kunimitsu wouldn’t have left without using a horse, and he would have stayed with Sakuno no matter what.

“Kunimitsu!” His voice grew hoarse, his heart pounding hard as he wondered what was taking his brother so long to respond. He jogged through the garden, stopping when he came across a man’s body, lying in a bloody pool across the stone path. He averted his eyes once he’d affirmed that it wasn’t his brother - he almost thought he remembered this man, but he thought of it no more as he continued on to look for Kunimitsu.

He’d nearly entered the woods, when he saw her on the ground.

Fuji Yumiko laid out on the moss covered soil, her hair spread out in waves around her, her jewelry twinkling in the fire light. She had a blank look on her face, her eyes were open but lifeless. 

Keigo couldn’t see any sign of a wound. He bent down to touch her neck, but her skin had already gone cold, and she clearly wasn’t breathing. He wondered why she was there.

Then he saw Kunimitsu, lying on his side a few feet away from her.

“No. . .” 

He trembled, staggering towards his brother, almost afraid to touch him. He saw no blood, but that didn’t mean anything, after he’d seen Yumiko and his parents. He fell to his knees before his brother’s body. 

He didn’t know what to do. He stopped breathing, thought maybe his heart had stopped beating, too. 

And then he saw his brother’s chest rise.

Gasping, he grabbed Kunimitsu in his arms, lifting him up and feeling for a pulse. It was there, faint but steady, and his brother’s skin was warm beneath his palms. 

Kunimitsu was bigger than him, but Keigo knew he had to get him out of there, move him away from this place full of death. He looked around for Sakuno, but he didn’t see her, just more bodies laying in dark lumps around the ground. There was a pair of redheads, but the one woman was too tall to be his sister.

He somehow got Kunimitsu onto his back, and trudged towards the horses. He prayed that Sakuno had run away, that she was safe somewhere in the woods. He swore to himself he’d come back to look for her, as soon as Kunimitsu was safe.

He got back on the magistrate’s horse, placing Kunimitsu carefully in front of him. He’d untied the clydesdale, hoping it and the other loose horse would be able to fend for themselves for awhile. He knew the only reason no one had come was because of the remoteness of the manor, but with the fire as billowing as it had become, the nearest town would undoubtedly investigate, and the Council would be notified. 

Keigo didn’t want to be there when other members from the Families arrived.

He wanted to gallop away, but he set the horse to a trot, fearful for Kunimitsu’s condition. His brother flushed with fever, his heartbeat still weak, and Keigo couldn’t find a wound or anything to treat. 

He didn’t know where he was going, autopiloting in the direction of home, the tiny village they’d been living, but as he calmed down he knew he couldn’t go back there. They’d stolen two horses, his female companion was missing, and his brother was unconscious - Keigo was too afraid to return. 

But another idea came to him, one that was a gamble, but it was all he could think of, and if it worked, then whatever was wrong with Kunimitsu wouldn’t matter…

He knew a way he could save his brother.

* * *

The lake glimmered before them, sparkling with the first rays of morning light.

It was much larger than the one they’d grown up near, but calmer too. He couldn’t see a river that fed into or from it. The forest around it was just as peaceful, though it had been too dense to bring the horse. He’d carried Kunimitsu on his back, each step taken through sheer determination.

He prayed they wouldn’t have to wait long at the lake. It felt like Kunimitsu’s breaths grew lighter and further apart with every passing hour. Already he was beginning to doubt his decision, anxiously thinking that maybe was wrong, that no one would come, that he should have just found a doctor and begged for aid.

“It’s been a while,” a deep voice said behind him.

Keigo turned, as quickly as he could while supporting his brother, a heavy sigh of relief escaping him as he saw Sakaki, in his well pressed suit and a cigar twirling in his fingers, walking towards them. 

Sakaki pressed the back of his hand against Kunimitsu’s forehead, then turned back around.

“Follow me,” he nodded.

He tucked the cigar into his inner coat pocket as they walked. Keigo couldn’t understand how the blond made his way among the trees, but suddenly they were walking on a path, where before Keigo was sure there hadn’t been any. 

“I know this is sudden, but you’re the only one I could go to for help,” he said, unable to keep the desperation from his voice.

“We met once when you were a child, and you decided that?” Sakaki’s forehead wrinkled upward.

“Will you help me?” Keigo snapped. He knew he couldn’t afford to waste time healing his brother.

“I will do what I can,” Sakaki replied calmly.

Keigo didn’t ask any more, confident that this was enough commitment for him to get what he needed. 

“I looked up the name Sakaki,” he said, changing the subject. “There’s no one with that name.” 

Sakaki shrugged. “A name is not significant, except for the people it connects you to. Which is why I chose one that connected me to nobody.”

“. . . We chose new names, too.”

“You never told me your name, you know,” Sakaki glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow.

“You never asked,” Keigo scowled. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t told Sakaki anything about him, or his family. The vampire had no reason to trust him, or be willing to help him. Yet he was . . . and he wasn’t even asking any questions.

“You said you were the heir to the Yukimuras’ properties, so I know you’re either Keigo or Kunimitsu,” Sakaki shrugged, as if it wasn’t that important.

“I’m Keigo,” the teen replied, pouting out his lips. “This is Kunimitsu. But we aren’t connected to the Yukimuras any more… now we go by Atobe and Tezuka.”

“I see,” was Sakaki’s only reply.

The forest opened up quite suddenly, and soon they were surrounded by what must have once been a garden. But the shrubs were twisted and unruly. What looked like small fruit trees were choked over with vines, and even the path was being overtaken by moss and weeds. 

Beyond the garden was a western-style house - no, a mansion, Keigo realized, his eyes widening as he took in its size. But like the garden, it was in disrepair. Vines and weeds swallowed its outer edges, some windows in the upper story were broken and he had no doubt some in the lower story too, hidden by plants. 

Inside was even worse. Dust and spiderwebs covered every inch of furniture, and crept along the walls and ceilings. Keigo could see each piece of furnishing in the household was a fine antique, and savable with some extreme cleaning, but Sakaki passed it all with a blind eye. 

“You can lay him down here,” Sakaki said, having led Keigo up the stairs. The room they went in wasn’t small, but the area that was dustless was. Sakaki pulled a decorative cover off the queen sized bed, revealing a clean looking comforter below that Keigo laid Kunimitsu on.

“I can’t see what’s wrong with him,” Keigo murmured, tenderly brushing Kunimitsu’s bangs aside as he looked over his brother’s sleeping face. 

Sakaki placed his hand on Kunimitsu’s shoulder, studying his prone body for several minutes.

“This is the effect of some kind of curse,” he said quietly. “But it wasn’t aimed at him. . . he must have interfered with it and it backfired. Otherwise, he’d be fully cursed or dead now.”

“What would the curse do?” Keigo looked up at him with questioning eyes.

“Since the curse didn’t strike him, I don’t know,” Sakaki shook his head.

“What do I have to do to save him?” Keigo pressed his lips together grimly.

“He’s received a wound that can’t be healed. I don’t know anything you can do.”

“Yes you do.” Keigo looked at Sakaki intensely.

Sakaki glared back. “No.”

“Why not?” Keigo replied hotly. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me. And you don’t understand what it will do to him.”

“Explain it to me then.” Keigo grabbed Sakaki’s wrist, holding it tightly. A tiny voice told him he was being presumptuous, asking so much of a stranger, but he didn’t care. He would do whatever he had to, use whoever he had to, to save his brother.

Sakaki didn’t shake him loose. “If I gave him my blood, he would probably awaken. But he would become my offspring. . . I have never wanted to create another like me, and I certainly will not forge such a connection with a stranger.”

“Then forge it with me. Make me your offspring.”

Steely eyes matched with golden ones. Sakaki didn’t blink, didn’t change expressions, but Keigo could see the vampire was thinking hard about what to say.

“This is the second time we’ve met.”

“And in both meetings, I’ve talked more to you and felt closer to you then the servants I saw every day.”

“That’s a poor analogy.”

“It’s true of my cousins too. I’ve never had any friends other than my siblings, who don’t count. You’re the first person who ever really looked at me,” Keigo breathed out harshly, refusing to give in. He knew, somehow he just knew, that this was what he needed to do.

“. . . Do you understand what it means to be a vampire -”

“I will once you turn me.” Keigo set his teeth. “And then I’ll decide if it’s a life worth living or not, before turning Kunimitsu. It’s a fate we’ll share together.”

Sakaki fell silent, staring at where Keigo’s fingers wrapped around his sleeve. Keigo could hear it, just slightly, the man breathing in and out, probably wishing he could smoke. 

But he still didn’t shake Keigo off. Instead, he looked back up and deeply into Keigo’s eyes. 

“Humans aren’t usually turned until they’re 25. And even then, they’re expected to have a child.”

“That’s just the crap rules the Families came up with.”

Sakaki was running out of excuses, and Keigo knew it. He knew he was winning - Sakaki could have walked away from the beginning, not even showed up at the lake. But Keigo knew there was a reason they had met that day when he was young, and this was it.

This was how he would change destiny.

* * *

“We looked for survivors, but found no one. We pulled bodies from the rubble - we’ve identified some of them from their accessories.”

Seiichi sat next to his adoptive parents, his mouth dropped open in horror.

He didn’t know what to think, or how to feel. He’d known - they’d all known - that tensions between the Ryuuzakis and the Yukimuras had run high, and that there’d been murders where they pointed fingers at each other. But for this to have happened...

“There was no one in the Ryuuzaki household, either,” Yuudai continued his report, his eyes distant. “Their numbers had already dwindled from the fights they’d had with the Yukimuras in the last few years. . . It seems every last one of them left to attack the Yukimuras at their own household.”

And there, there was no one alive.

“. . . And the twins?” Seiichi couldn’t stop himself from asking.

“Still missing. We doubt they’d even know about it, whereever they are.” 

His hands tightened into fists, trembling on his knees. Despite his mother’s murder, and how he’d almost been murdered as well, he never wished for such a tragedy. And the Yukimuras were once his family, and he knew there were. . . had been many good people among them.

“One more thing,” Yuudai breathed in deeply, swallowing a few times before he continued. “Fuji Yumiko was found amongst the dead.”

Several gasps were heard throughout the room. Yumiko might have been no one’s good friend, but almost everyone there had talked with her, and she had become an integral part of the connection between the Families. She had always been an aloof and mysterious force, and it didn’t seem possible that she could even die. 

Seiichi thought of the last time he’d seen her, and the things she had said.

He barely managed to sit through the hunters’ dismissal. He didn’t turn to look or speak to his adoptive parents, not wanting to see or hear any words of pity from them. They’d been good to him, and he loved them, but they’d never understand his feelings when it came to the Yukimuras. They’d even fought with him when he refused to change his last name to Echizen.

He went after Yuudai, the man he’d been able to talk to the most after becoming a hunter at twelve. Yuudai had brought him here as a child, but he never treated him like a child, or, as his peers among the Echizens did, as some sort of incredible being. They were nice to him, and respected him, but they saw him for his birth prophecy and not for himself. Everything he accomplished, all the skills he obtained, was all attributed to some sort of prodigious destiny. 

Yuudai waited for him patiently at the end of the hall, and they slipped into one of the smaller training rooms to talk privately. 

“Are you okay?” The ebony haired man took off the sunglasses he always wore, looking at his friend with concern.

Seiichi shook his head. “There was something Yumiko told me to do. Something I didn’t do, because I was afraid and I hesitated. But maybe if I had, she wouldn’t be dead. . . maybe I could have stopped this. . .”

It didn’t really make sense that he could have, but he was sure Yumiko must have foreseen this and was trying to stop it somehow. Maybe she needed for him to follow her instructions, and that would have worked into some greater plan. 

He felt like this was somehow all his fault.

Yuudai just looked at him, patiently letting him talk. The vampire’s gentle expression stayed the same, even as Seiichi made his request.

“Why aren’t you asking your parents?” Yuudai asked, once Seiichi fell silent.

“They won’t agree,” the bluenette shook his head. “They’ll want me to wait till I have a child of my own.”

“You don’t want that?”

“No.” Seiichi’s tone ran cold. “If the Yukimura line continues, it won’t be from me.”

Yuudai studied him for a few more moments, before nodding.

“Alright, then,” the bespectacled man reached out and took Seiichi’s hand. “Let’s go get ready.”

* * *

Sakaki had no reason to listen to this demanding brat. 

He had no reason to go greet him by the lake, to take him and his brother in, to be willing to help them. 

But he knew this is what he wanted, had wanted ever since the day he’d met the imperious child, ever since the child had told him he didn’t have to be lonely. 

He wanted Keigo as his offspring.

* * *

Keigo looked up at Sakaki with a smirk, laid out on the bed they’d prepared for this. He reached up and wrapped his hand around Sakaki's neck, drawing him closer to assure him. Sakaki breathed hotly against Keigo’s neck, before finally baring his fangs and piercing them into pale, smooth skin.

After the initial puncture, the teen felt a strange, tingling sensation, and then a soft sort of bliss. It was growing, filling his body, and he could understand the humans who volunteered to be fed from, why they would want this. His eyes fluttered closed, and all he could think was how he wished Sakaki would touch him more, wrap his arms around him and hold him close as he drank.

At some point, it went from pleasant to too much. Keigo’s body was aching with need, writhing against the sheets. Sakaki was massaging his sides, holding him in place, and it only made it worse, the heat growing greater beneath Keigo’s skin. His back arched upward, his hands gripped the sheets, then tried to tear at his clothes, which he desperately needed off. Sakaki pressed his body closer, holding Keigo in place with his weight, and it was so wonderful, being this close, taking the smell of the golden haired vampire in. Sakaki’s lips were massaging his neck, and it just wasn’t enough, Keigo wanted - _needed_ more. 

Then something tipped again, and though Keigo wanted to be touched more than ever, his body could no longer shift or squirm. He hardly had the energy to keep his eyes open, let alone move his hands, and though his head and chest and groin felt warm, his arms and legs were going numb, and he couldn’t feel his toes. There was something wrong with him, and his heart pounded so loudly but slowly too, more and more slowly.

He didn’t know how long it had been when Sakaki pulled away, his face darkly flushed. He cupped Keigo’s cheek with his hand, rubbed his thumb along the pin pricks on his neck. Sakaki’s skin felt burningly warm, and Keigo wanted to smile at him, but he found he couldn’t move. His lips fell uselessly open, and his eyelids were half closed.

Sakaki held up his hand, and his index finger began to change, to blacken and harden, elongating into a small claw. Then the vampire cut across his own wrist.

Blood dripped down onto Keigo’s lips, then Sakaki brought his bleeding wrist closer so it could pour more smoothly into the teen’s mouth. Keigo’s mouth was too numb for him to taste anything, but he somehow managed to move his tongue and swallow. More blood poured in as Sakaki widened the wound, and soon Keigo was able to drink it in greedily, though he still wasn’t able to move.

A sharp pain shot through Keigo’s body.

He convulsed, and Sakaki drew his hand away, wrapping his bleeding wrist. But another jab shot through Keigo, and another. Keigo could barely register what happened after that - he knew he was in pain, and that Sakaki was holding him down, and that he was screaming.

* * *

Seiichi let out a trembling breath, as Yuudai laid him back onto the bed. 

He knew he shouldn't be afraid. This was Yuudai... the man that had helped him escape, when he was only 5 years old, who had saved his life, time and time again. The vampire who had fed from him, on and off over the last few years, giving him that wonderful feeling that he would soon give to other people. 

He’d become a hunter at twelve, and Yuudai had taught him so much, had always had his back. He hadn’t coddled him but treated him like a comrade, and he’d been there for him, through the emotional roller coaster he’d rode as a pre-teen hitting puberty, and when Nanjiroh was born and he was terrified his adoptive parents wouldn’t want him, the child who’d they’d been forced to take in, any more. He’d trusted Yuudai with all his feelings and thoughts, and fully with his life. There was no one he wanted more to become the offspring of.

But Seiichi was still afraid.

He tried to make his heart stop pounding, not so loudly, then he wondered if afterwards his heart would pound at all.

He realized he didn't know. He didn't really know anything about being a vampire, just that he had to become one.

As Yuudai bit into his neck, he prayed that he was not throwing himself away.

* * *

Keigo’s choice was not so difficult.

The pleasure had been wonderful, the pain horrific - but the connection he felt now, to the vampire who had turned him. . . this he knew he wanted with his brother as well. 

He would save his brother’s life, and they would be tied together forever. They’d share a bond greater than anyone elses’, for they’d be both twins and blood brothers. 

He set down the glass Sakaki had given him, not knowing or caring whose blood had been in it. He was still a weak, blood thirsty newborn, but he looked down at Kunimitsu and regained his control. 

He crawled on top of Kunimitsu’s unconscious body, so that his hands rested on either side of his bespectacled twin’s head. He bent down, blowing on his brother’s face, thinking that even though they didn’t look a like, they were both equally handsome - no, gorgeous, even more so than the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He’d always loved his brother, but now that he was a vampire, and he could feel every beat of Kunimitsu’s heart, he knew that he _loved_ his brother, that this was more than just saving his twin. 

He wanted to take Kunimitsu’s blood, to take his body, to take all of him and make it his own. He had this tremendous feeling, and Sakaki had warned him that he had to be careful, and he could easily see himself losing control now that all of his senses were ridiculously expanded. But he wouldn’t, because he just _couldn’t_ , and he needed Kunimitsu to be with him, both as a twin and as a vampire, together for all eternity.

So he had sent Sakaki away, knowing this was something he could do.

He wrapped Kunimitsu around with his arms, and bit down into his neck.

* * *

Tezuka woke, and knew that he was wrong.

Not that he had done something wrong, or made some sort of mistake.

He knew that he himself, the core of who he was, was wrong.

He sat up, looking at his hands, and he could see every pore, every small hair and line on the back and front of them. 

He could hear everything, the sound of the wind outside, the sound of the sheets moving around him, even the faint creek of boards, and he knew someone was moving around a level below him.

And he could smell. . . _blood_. He felt thirsty, so incredibly thirsty, and there was a wine glass set on the table next to him, filled with a dark red liquid. 

He took the glass in his hands, and without another thought, he drank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neumegami's artwork for this chapter ~
> 
> ["Brothers"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/11-001%20brothers_zpscivxxtb2.jpg)
> 
> ["Turning"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/11-002%20turning_zpstq7bp7rp.jpg)


	12. Carnage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now it's _war_.

They never found Sakuno.

Kunimitsu combed the area where he’d seen her fallen, but the Families had cleaned everything up. The twins had no way of knowing if their sister was dead or alive. 

Sakaki also disappeared, before Kunimitsu even woke up. He told Keigo how to contact him, and that the twins could stay in the mansion as long as they wanted. It wasn’t the age old vampire’s to begin with, apparently, though he didn’t explain more.

Keigo didn’t tell Kunimitsu about him, and Kunimitsu never asked how Keigo had been turned. 

“We need information from the Echizens and Fujis,” Kunimitsu said. They’d spent the last two weeks of their newfound vampirism cleaning the mansion, which they were continuing now - dusting and cleaning out furniture. Kunimitsu determined which pieces he could fix and which had to be thrown away. The place was starting to look like a real home, anyway, at least some place livable.

“Obviously,” Keigo drawled, pulling a cobweb off a chandelier. He was already plotting to make a few offspring, that he could order around to clean the house for him. 

“We need allies.”

Keigo stopped what he was doing to glare at his twin. “The more people we involve, the more likely our identities will be revealed.” They had a nice place here, one suitable for elite beings such as them, and now that they were vampires, they no longer had the same needs they’d had as humans. Once they found Sakuno, they could live here, peacefully and quietly as they had before.

“Then so be it,” Kunimitsu replied. “We can’t hide forever.”

_Yes we can!_ Keigo wanted to snap, but he knew his brother was right.

“I’ll figure something out,” he grumbled, setting his sponges aside. “I was already thinking we might have to work with _them_ , anyway.”

Kunimitu studied him for a moment, then nodded in understanding. “Are you sure?”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Keigo sniffed. 

“. . . Are they really our enemies?”

“The Echizens and the Fujis did nothing while the Yukimuras and Ryuuzakis killed each other,” Keigo said darkly. “And they’ve either captured our sister. . . or a _Fuji_ is responsible for her death.” He didn’t have to say who.

Perhaps it was a dark path they were treading, but Keigo knew once they got started, there’d be no turning back.

* * *

Seiichi brought down his sword, sending the vampire’s head flying.

He didn’t know why the teen hadn’t listened to him, when they’d said they could help him, teach him self-control. He understood bloodlust from his own transformation, but he couldn’t understand the minor clans’ willingness to indulge. 

There were more and more newborns lately. There didn’t even seem to be a reason that they were turned. Humans were being turned at random, and then let loose.

“We caught the older one.” One of the Echizen’s, Nanjiroh’s cousins and now his subordinate, came over to him with a tied up vampire kicking behind him. 

Seiichi bent down, pulling the vampire’s head towards him and pulling off his gag. The man had small eyes and short, black hair, but there was nothing to distinguish him as the member of any well known clan.

“Who created you?” Seiichi ordered a response, his eyes dark and calm. The man blinked back at him, then his eyes widened and began to tremble. Seiichi knew he’d been recognized.

“The Ginka,” the man trembled. “But my master is already dead.”

Another minor clan that must have rebelled. Seiichi grimaced, clenching his sword handle tightly.

It had been nearly a decade since the Yukimuras and Ryuuzakis had destroyed each other. At first, the organization of hunters had continued as usual. Between the Echizens and the Fujis, they had nearly four times as many numbers as when Ryuuzaki Sumire had founded the union, and the rebellious elements among the minor clans was at an all time low. Despite the tragedy, it seemed like Sumire’s will would be carried on.

But more and more, members of the minor clans began to break the rules. Taken more than what they needed - killing when they fed - turning without consent, or turning teenagers who’d barely had a chance at human life. 

“Who sent you here to attack us?” Seiichi reached out with his fingers, placing them underneath the man’s chin so that he’d have to look up at him. “Tell me, and perhaps you won’t live blind for the rest of your eternal life.” 

The man seemed mesmerized as he looked up at Seiichi’s face, as if he hadn’t quite registered what he was being threatened with. “There’s two men. . . they told us to go here. They sent some vamps from Jyousei to the south towns, too.”

“Hmm,” Seiichi hummed. The man’s story was probably true - there’d been coordinated movement among the rebelling clans, and he’d suspected for some time that some leader must be behind it. “Who are these two men?”

“One’s Tezuka. . . I don’t remember the other’s name - I swear!” The man gurgled, blinking his eyes several times nervously. “I don’t even know which one of them is the leader, they sort of both seem to be in charge.”

Seiichi frowned, finding the name Tezuka unfamiliar. He couldn’t think of any clan with that name. “You’ve met them before?”

“This was my first time, but Jyousei’s been talking to them longer, go ask them.”

“I will,” Seiichi promised. “Now then, I can tell by the foolish look in your eyes you don’t know any more. So now what should I do with you. . .”

The man opened his jaw, as if trying to decide what to say, then shut it along with his eyes.

“You wounded one of my men,” Seiichi tilted his head toward the youngest of his three subordinates, who was bleeding from the temple. “I don’t really take lightly to my people being injured.”

“I don’t want to die,” the man stuttered. “I swear. . . I’ll never listen to those people again. I know the rules - I’ll follow them, I swear I will.”

“I’m sure you will,” Seiichi smiled, but his eyes were sharp as a tiger’s. “Leave him here.”

His men left the man tied up, knowing he’d eventually work his way out with his claws. They walked away, Seiichi humming. He wondered how long it’d take the man to realize he could no longer hear.

* * *

Yuudai was dead.

Seiichi didn’t even know how it happened, only that he wasn’t there.

There’d been so many battles, with rebels and their out-of-control newborns. The Echizens were so much more powerful, but they were outnumbered. And the men creating all the chaos were master strategists - Seiichi was sure of at least this. They didn’t care about the lives they threw away, only that they were whittling down the Families’ remaining strength. 

Yuudai had been out hunting, responding to multiple calls, and then one day he hadn’t come back. The team that went looking for him found him quickly, but it was already too late. He had died honorably, of that Seiichi was assured.

Not that it really mattered.

* * *

There were bodies in the roadway. Pale faces looking up, people with arms and legs stretched out, unable to put up a fight as they were overwhelmed with unnatural strength. Seiichi didn’t have to look to know where the tiny wounds in their skin would be - he knew the look of a bloodsucked body all too well.

But for this to have happened so close to his home, at the farm closest to the Echizen households, worried him deeply.

“What happened?” He asked, eyes widening in surprise as Echizen Nina, his adoptive mother, came out of the house. She looked frantic.

“It’s Nanjiroh,” Nina came over to him and grabbed his hands. “He’s still recovering from his injury from last month, and so he was the only one at the house when we got the call for help.”

“Where is he?” Seiichi cut her off, not wanting to hear a long drawn out story. Already his heart was pounding, his eyes dashing around the road looking for a familiar face.

“I can’t find him!” Nina cried. “The farmers were already dead, and the vampires that killed them, too. It was human hunters, I can tell from the wounds.”

“You’re sure it wasn’t Nanjiroh?” Seiichi frowned. His little brother was still human, after all, even though he’d become a hunter the year before.

“I know my son’s work.” Nina held up an envelope. “If only he’d waited for me to get here…”

Seiichi grabbed the envelope, surprised to find it sealed messily with wax. On the front was scribbled his whole name, Yukimura Seiichi.

“You didn’t open it?” He asked in surprise.

“I have a bad feeling,” Nina said darkly.

Seiichi tore open the envelope, reading the short letter inside. He crumpled it in his hand then jammed it in his pocket. “Nanjiroh’s fine. I’ll go get him.”

“Your father will be back within the hour,” Nina said. “Let’s wait for him and then go together.”

“No, I don’t want to wait,” Seiichi replied, turning around so he no longer faced her. He started walking to where he’d tied up his horse.

Nina caught up to him. “Seiichi, you don’t have to do this all on your own. You’re exhausted - you’re so much younger than everyone else, but you’ve practically become our clan’s leader for all that you do.”

“Then consider this my vacation,” Seiichi replied smoothly. “Nanjiroh will be back by sunrise.”

He mounted his horse, and soon he was off on his way.

He didn’t notice the paper’d drifted out of his pocket, and into Nina’s hands.

* * *

It was almost midnight when he arrived at the alcove. He left his sword on his horse, along with his small set of daggers. He could sense he was being watched.

“I came alone as you requested, and all my weapons are here,” he announced, waving at his horse. He stepped forward calmly, not even flinching as five people surrounded him.

They were all humans - he could hear the blood running warmly in their veins. At least three of them had that distinctive light brown hair, and it wasn’t hard to guess who they were. He even recognized a few of their faces, from when the Fujis and Echizens went on joint missions.

“There’s no point in doing this,” he said. “You’re just making it easier for the rebels.”

“For all we know, you’re the one leading them,” the shortest man in the group snarled. “And these Tezuka and Atobe characters are some sort of fictional facade.”

_Atobe?_ Seiichi frowned, realizing that must have been the name of the second man guiding the rebels. It disappointed him that the Fujis had obtained that information, but not shared it with the Echizens.

He’d known that the alliance between the two families was fractured, and that there were radical elements among the Fujis as there’d been among the Yukimuras - human hunters who didn’t want to partner with vampires, who thought all vampires should be killed.

“You can think whatever you like,” Seiichi spoke firmly. “Though I assure you that you’re wrong. Now, return Echizen Nanjiroh.”

“First, you sit here,” the short man ordered, pointing at a ledge in the alcove. It was flat enough and wide enough that Seiichi found he was able to sit comfortably, but he didn’t miss the chains bolted into the ground and walls around it. 

“Yukimura Seiichi, the one who will stand with the vampires,” hissed the young woman who was tying him up. “Now you’ll never fulfill your part of the prophecies, just as the twins never fulfilled theirs.”

“I stand with the Echizens, and I’m a vampire myself,” Seiichi said, keeping his chin up high. “I think I’ve already fulfilled that part of the prophecy.” He’d been questioned so many times, he was more than used to providing this sort of answer.

But there was something that she said, mentioning the twins who no one had spoken of for over a decade, that made him start to wonder.

“Nanjiroh’s still human,” Seiichi said, once the woman seemed satisfied he was secure. “You wouldn’t murder a fellow human, now would you?”

The group looked at each other, then one of the taller men, with blue green eyes reminiscent of Yumiko’s, went back among the trees. He came back dragging a stumbling fifteen year old, bound and gagged and with a black and blue bulge forming around one of his eyes. 

“We weren’t going to hurt him,” the blue eyed man mumbled. “But he wouldn’t shut up.”

Seiichi smirked, knowing if Nanjiroh excelled at anything, it was being annoying with his mouth.

“So what now?” Seiichi asked, meeting Nanjiroh’s eyes for a moment to assure him they’d be alright. “Are you going to kill me? Leave me tied up here? What do you plan to gain from all this?”

He had no plan to escape, no idea of how to get away. And yet he wasn’t afraid. He’d stopped feeling normal things like fear and panic and sympathy some time ago. 

They looked at each other again, like they really didn’t know what they were doing. Seiichi sighed internally, hoping they really weren’t going to kill him. He’d be so ashamed to have died at the hands of these idiots.

“We met him,” the female hunter said, looking like she couldn’t help herself when it came to explaining. “Atobe, the vampire you’re using as a front. We were going to kill him, but then he told us everything. He told us how he’d never wanted to be a vampire, to do any of this, and how it was all your fault.”

“ . . . And you believed him,” Seiichi replied dully. 

“He knew all about you,” the woman snapped back, as if Seiichi’s life story was some highly guarded secret. “He was the one who told us about Nanjiroh, your precious little brother. He even said he’d bet you’d trade your life for his.”

Seiichi would have slapped his forehead if he weren’t currently chained to the wall. He wondered how these fools could even remotely related to Yumiko. 

“Let me think about this,” he said calmly. “I can’t remember ever hearing the name Atobe. Could you tell me what he looks like? Then I’ll remember all the wrongs I’ve done to him.”

“Silvery hair and eyes, a mole on his upper cheek,” she said a bit dreamily, as if she was thinking of someone very handsome. “You’ll meet him soon, and then you’ll remember.”

A mole on his cheek. _It can’t be,_ Seiichi thought, his eyes growing wide. _Why. . ._

“I’m going to meet him?” He asked, keeping his voice even and calm.

“He wanted to see you, so that he could get revenge,” said the short man. “Then he’s going to turn himself in to the families.”

Seiichi knew perfectly well that wasn’t what was going to happen. Still, he had a feeling he didn’t want to meet this Atobe. Then again, if Atobe was who he thought he was… 

“Can you promise to take Nanjiroh home? Before Atobe comes and takes this revenge of his,” Seiichi batted his eyelashes at the blue eyed man, who he’d noticed had been staring at him in a very particular - and familiar - way.

“We’ll think about it,” said the short man. “But we aren’t going to leave until Atobe comes.”

Seiichi had a horrible feeling growing in his gut. He knew that the ones leading the rebel clans had no qualms about killing humans who got in their way. Somehow he knew that this Atobe wouldn’t let these fools live - and Nanjiroh would still be there in the mix of things.

They glared at each other for several minutes. Finally the group shifted around a little, settling in as they realized they’d be waiting for awhile. 

“Maybe we should gag him,” suggested the blue eyed man, who’d still been looking at Seiichi with lustful eyes. It wasn’t as if the bluenette had said anything, but Seiichi had an idea of what the man was hoping to do. “I’ll go get the clo-”

The man stopped talking, his eyes suddenly wide as he looked down at his chest, where four long claws went straight out from his body. 

Echizen Nina stood several feet behind him, her fingers pierced into his body. She was panting, she looked exhausted and angry and was baring her teeth.

A sword came down on her extended arm.

“No!” Seiichi screamed, as Nina fell to the ground with her arm clearly severed. The claws fell out of the blue-eyed man as they reverted back to fingers, but he fell onto his knees and down onto his face, giving a few last breaths before death.

The tall, quiet human who’d attacked Nina charged at her again, but she turned to him with golden eyes. She didn’t extend her remaining hand, but Seiichi knew what she was doing - she grabbed the sword with her mind, yanking it out of the man’s hand and into the air.

“Nina!” Another shout, and then her husband was there beside her. Seiichi didn’t know why they were here - he didn’t want them to protect him. He just wanted Nanjiroh to get out safely. 

“How dare you!” The woman of the group shouted, raising her arms. The sword crashed to the ground, and the tall hunter quickly retrieved it.

She had the worst possible power, Seiichi realized - nullification. 

Echizen Sanjirou, Nina’s husband, Nanjiroh’s dad, and the only father Seiichi had ever known, realized it too. In an instant, his all of his claws were extended, and he pierced through the woman’s head and chest.

But he couldn’t simultaneously protect himself from the tall human, who stabbed straight through his unprotected torso. 

Nina respond so quickly, the instant her power worked again, and focused her telekinesis to expertly break the man’s neck.

“Stop or I’ll kill him!” shouted the short hunter, holding up his sword at Nanjiroh, who was being held by the fifth member of their group, a hunter with dark hair who was sweating bullets trying to hold the kicking teen. 

Nina didn’t skip a beat, her eyes held an unfathomable determination as she stood with her remaining arm and stretched out her claws. She pierced the dark haired man’s forehead with one of them, while using her telekinesis to push Nanjiroh back and away from the short screaming man.

But the group’s leader didn’t waste the moment either, cutting off her remaining arm.

Everything happened so quickly, and Seiichi hadn’t been able to do a thing. He was too chained down to move, but then Nanjiroh was next to him, yanking at his chains with all his worth. His hands were still tied, but he’d some how managed to scramble over to him.

But they didn’t move nearly as fast at the two remaining fighters. The short man threw his sword at Nina’s chest, a split second before she used her powers to break his neck.

Nina fell backward, near where her husband lay unmoving, and she looked up at Seiichi and Nanjiroh and smiled, before her eyes fell shut and she lay just as still. 

For all his horror and shock, Seiichi found he couldn’t even scream.

* * *

“Since when were you so interested in Seiichi?” Kunimitsu asked.

“He’s our cousin. We should get him away from those fools.” Keigo continued polishing his foil, a look of disappointment covering his face ever since he’d come back empty handed.

He’d been surprised when human hunters from the Fuji family had managed to ambush them during one of his meetings with the minor clans. Rather than killing them, he’d shooed the other vampires away and had a fun little chat. He’d convinced them to work with him, and then gone to meet them at the alcove he’d selected.

But when he’d gotten there, all he’d found was the little group dead, along with a pair of vampires from the Echizens. Seiichi was no where in sight, which was probably better, considering the obviously bloody outcome of the battle that had happened there.

Keigo wasn’t lying about his motives. He’d been interested in Seiichi for a while, both from his fond memories of him as a child, and the stories he’d been hearing of the magnificent young leader of the Echizens, beautiful and astonishingly powerful. 

But what he hadn’t ever mentioned to his brother was the weapon, his uncle had told him to find. The one Seiichi supposedly knew about. 

But if something like that really existed, why hadn’t Seiichi used it?

* * *

The count of the dead was rising. Normal humans had noticed. They whispered of the Vampire War, as they called it, and hid in their homes in fear. No one went out after sunset, as old superstitions took hold, no one spoke to strangers or invited them into their homes.

Seiichi laughed bitterly as he set down the report. It was all just too ironic… 

He had confirmed that Atobe, one of the two leading the rebels, was indeed his cousin Keigo. He’d hid, along with Nanjiroh, waiting for Atobe come after the the tragedy at the cove, and confirmed it with his own eyes. Even if he hadn’t seen Keigo in nearly two decades, he was positive it was him. Which meant Tezuka was really Kunimitsu, and if Kunimitsu’s personality hadn’t changed, that fit very well with what he’d learned from the vampires they’d interrogated. 

In the end, Yumiko’s prophecies had come true, but not as anyone had predicted. 

The twins had started a war, and it was indeed a war of vampires - Echizens verses rebels and their newborns. And vampires were dying, so many dying, but so many had been newborns they might as well have counted them as humans. 

The Fujis were still involved, of course, but Seiichi no longer trusted them, and they more or less were only being used to gather information, always out on patrols and following up on calls for hunters, as humans now only trusted other humans. They killed some of the newborns, or vampires they caught feeding, but they didn’t initiate any battles. 

Seiichi was fine with that, and maybe that was where his side of the prophecy came in. He no longer wanted to be around humans. He felt like he couldn’t understand them, couldn’t trust them, that they wouldn’t be able to work together since humans only saw vampires as monsters. He tried to remember what he’d thought when he was still human, but he couldn’t any more. And he couldn’t bring himself to ask Nanjiroh, or the other Echizens who were young and had yet to be turned. 

Then again… they were his allies. And he believed that Yumiko had died trying to save the Yukimuras and Ryuuzakis. 

Sighing, he turned to the report the Council of Elders had prepared. The Council had become shabby, with so many of their members killed or too busy fighting to participate, particularly the able bodied ones. Now only the most elderly of humans from the Fujis, and those vampires with egregious injuries from the Echizens, would actually get together to form the Council. But thankfully, those were the ones with the most knowledge.

The report explained where their enemies had really come from.

Vampires had always existed in clans, long before the Council had been formed. They had been primitive at first, consisting of a master vampire and his offspring, and eventually his offsprings’ offspring. Eventually the older vampires would be killed, but the clan would stay together, and become more like a family. 

Then some vampires had decided they wanted to raise children. They began adopting human children, and at some point, those children had realized they should have children of their own before turning. Familes such as the Echizens, Ryuuzakis, and Yukimuras had formed.

Seiichi thought it was terribly ironic that the Yukimuras had once been a clan of vampires, then morphed into a simple family bent on breeding children with powers. He’d heard about it living among the Echizens, but he’d noticed the Yukimuras simply didn’t talk about it, as if by pretending it hadn’t been true, it hadn’t. He wondered if the twins even knew.

With vampires came those who hunted them. It was a natural conclusion - vampires in those days had little in the way of ethics, so many of them murdered and kidnapped and did whatever they liked, with their strength so much greater than normal humans. The art of hunting the hunters, though, was soon perfected, and vampires were no longer such superior beings. In fact, there was a point where the clans were all small, all shrunk to almost nothing because of how good the vampire hunters had gotten at what they did.

It was Ryuuzaki Sumire who changed all that. The woman had been adopted by an old clan, and had had several children of her own, not turning until she was well into her forties. But then her clan had been attacked, all the vampires in the commune killed, and she had only survived because she looked older than vampires usually did and her human children convinced the hunters that she was human. 

Rather than hating the hunters, Sumire realized that vampire kind had to change. She knew the many horrible grievances her own clan had committed that led them to being hunted so viciously, and she had witnessed the hunters at their moral best - they had truly spared any human they came across, and even helped them ‘escape’, as they assumed the humans had been captured for food. And, Sumire knew, a few of those imprisoned in the commune had. 

So she’d approached the two greatest clans, the Echizens and the Yukimuras, and made her proposal. And she knew she would need humans on her side as well - but rather than turning to the guild of hunters, who she knew hated vampires for all the horrors they had witnessed, she went to another great family. 

The Fujis were well known as seers and mystics. They understood the supernatural, understood vampires even better than they knew themselves. They practiced methods of harmony with spirits and demons, and after hearing Sumire’s proposal, agreed to extend this to vampires. They’d even come up with the self-regulating system, in which the great clans managed the minor clans. By putting vampires in charge of punishing other vampires, the vampires would teach themselves how to behave, how to live peacefully with humans.

But the society of the vampire clans was old and deep. There was a culture, deeply rooted among the many clans of vampires - one of darkness and indulgence. They believed themselves to be superior to humans, and to only have a place above them. 

Being told they had to suddenly follow rules, and treat humans as equals, had been horrifying to them. Many clans had refused, but between the three powerful clans and the Fujis, most had eventually subdued… at least on the surface. There were many that continued the old ways, keeping their parties to the darkest of nights, their way of hunting humans by either dazzling them with the beauty and romance of eternal youth - then playing games where the humans were forced to run through the night, only to be hunted down like animals.

The twins had discovered this underground culture, or rather they’d turned to those clans of vampires that the Families had suspected were breaking the rules, and sunk deep into their internal politics. They’d gone to the parties, courted the clan leaders, convinced them that they could free them from their chains of the rules the Families imposed. They had organized and lifted the rebels to a level they could never have reached on their own.

Seiichi wasn’t sure what the twins wanted, but he knew where all this was going. Everything would go full circle - the humans cowering in their homes would eventually overcome their fear, and start to fight back. And no matter how many newborns were made, there’d never be more vampires than humans. Not when vampires needed human blood to live, but humans needed nothing from them.

The twins really would bring it to its end - all of vampire kind.

But before that, he would oppose them, maybe not for the sake of all vampires, but at least for his family.

* * *

The majority of guests trailed in within the first two hours, in fine old ballroom gowns and frilly tuxedos. 

Seiichi watched them enter with intense focus, looking for signs of familiarity despite the masks. He had a feeling that most of the guests would know each other even in the masquerade setting, but these were nothing like the newborns they’d been fighting up until now. Some of them, he’d been warned, would be quite old, well adept to battle and deceit. After all, they’d hidden from both the old and new forms of hunters, and even continued their nighttime lifestyles. Seiichi wondered how Keigo and Kunimitsu had managed to court them, but he supposed they were used to a finer life than he. 

When the twins did arrive, it was more apparent than he’d expected. They were both finely dressed - no frills, but with classic long coat tales, both in fine silky black; one with a mask of a crow and the other with that of a jaguar. They fit in quite well, though Seiichi’d say they were a bit more elegant - it was the behavior of the others around them that gave them away. Every guest managed to greet them, but at a respectful distance. They didn’t seem to be anyone’s friend in particular but each others’; they didn’t bring a lady with them, vampiric or human; and they seemed to be biding their time, waiting for the lasts of the guests to arrive before entering the venue themselves. 

Seiichi had even discerned which was which, not that it was hard to tell. Keigo was the crow - he seemed enamored with the glamour, the costumes and the etiquette, while Kunimitsu was just how Seiichi remembered him, greeting others with a nod and moving with extreme minimalism. Even his jaguar mask seemed simple and emotionless.

One thing was clear - they were here to make deals; the others just wanted to play.

Seiichi nodded to the vampire next to him, who reached out with her ability to alert the other hidden groups. He had nearly a hundred vampires with him tonight, all loyal members of the Echizen family. 

He knew this was their best chance.

* * *

Everywhere, vampires were fighting, swords and claws clashing along with the effects of a variety of strange abilities.

Kunimitsu slashed down on a brash young hunter, searing off his leg and then his head. He wished he could use his ability, but there were too many guests, all in a frenzy. 

“Where are you going?” He asked, to an overly embellished couple that was fleeing out the back with glasses of blood wine still in their hands. 

“Out,” the frill covered man grinned, his cheeks and nose red and his stomach round. Kunimitsu didn’t understand how a vampire could be fat. “Don’t mind us.”

“You aren’t going to fight?” He frowned. He wasn’t panicking - he never panicked - but he did wonder how three hundred guests could be in such a frenzy when they clearly outnumbered their attackers.

“We needn’t beat them, merely outlive them,” laughed the lady accompanying him, waving her long painted nails that gleamed with gems in the moonlight. It was, Kunimitsu realized, how these vampires had lived for so many centuries. 

“Don’t misunderstand, boy,” smiled the man, gold glinting off his teeth that matched his gold rimmed monocle. “We aren’t your soldiers. We just lend some of our offspring to you so you can play your little games.”

“You should tootle off too,” the lady winked. “We like you two. In a few more centuries you’ll fit right in!”

The man grabbed her hand, but in a merry way and they ran off as if they were chasing the end of a rainbow.

Kunimitsu realized that no matter the outcome of tonight’s battle, he and Keigo would have to change their tactics. They would not find Sakuno by working with these beings, nor avenge their families. Or maybe the couple was right, and they were trying too hard to win through force.

He vowed, that if they lived, they’d find another way.

* * *

Seiichi charged straight through the front, knowing he wanted to either face the most courageous or quickly cut down the fools. He quickly realized the two types were something else - those fighting back and those fighting just enough to flee. 

The large guard who’d been standing at the entrance greeting guests stomped towards him with a war, his purpose to fight and let the others escape. Seiichi turned to him with narrow eyes and a sharp smile.

* * *

Keigo was annoyed, but not terribly shocked. He’d always known the masquerades were vulnerable to attack - he’d even thought of using them to draw the Families into an ambush. That wasn’t really the plan for this night, but at least he had all of his better fighters present. 

He hadn’t expected much from the various clan leaders, but he’d expected more than this. Still, the many offspring they’d let him use as his pawns were doing alright. Bodies were falling evenly on both sides, as hunters jumped in through the side doors and windows.

He drew his sword, stepping confidently into the fray.

* * *

Seiichi jumped with ease above from the fist of his target, then twisted back to avoid the slash that would have torn through his gut. 

The guard was a monster of man - He copied all of Seiichi’s moves. His bulk verses Seiichi’s flexibility was their only distinction, and an observer would think the battle was at a standstill.

“You can’t mimic everything,” Yukimura hummed. He wasn’t bragging, he was just stating things as they were. He drew back his sword, and stared carefully into the giant’s eyes.

The giant stared back. Yukimura blinked, and the giant blinked back. And then blinked again. And again. And again. And the finally roared, as he realized he could no longer see.

Seiichi leaped up and twisted nearly half way around, slicing off the giant’s head.

“You killed Kabaji,” Keigo hissed. He appeared in the entryway, walking down the marble steps with an ice cold glare.

“If I’ve killed someone important to you, I’ve merely returned the favor,” Seiichi coldly replied. Somehow, he didn’t feel like he’d been separated from his cousin at all, and they’d been competing all along for over a decade, smashing together their toy soldiers.

He flicked off the blood on his sword, his eyes narrowing in on Keigo’s.

* * *

Kunimitsu felled a black haired vampire, then turned to fight another. There was still so much confusion, between the dead and the wounded and the ones still fighting, but the ones bent on fleeing seemed to have already done so. 

Their cowardice amazed him.

He dove behind a column as two hunters approached him, drawing his fingers out into claws. He was vaguely aware of his brother fighting in the center of the ballroom, clashing swords with a beautiful dark blue haired hunter. He wouldn’t have put it below Keigo to have chosen his prey for looks - his brother had grown rather carnal in the last few years - but there was something familiar about his opponent. . .

_That must be Seiichi,_ he thought. He wondered if he should interfere, but knew Keigo would be mad at him if he did.

He caught a glance of them parrying their way up the grand staircase at the back of the hall, heading up towards the second story. But he didn’t have time to look any more as his own opponents’ blades and claws came slashing down, and he was engulfed by the fight.

* * *

Keigo laughed as they burst through glass doors and out onto the balcony. Seiichi’s skill with a sword was completely overwhelming, but it was his power that Keigo had heard rumors about that was truly nightmarish. 

He realized he’d been only seconds from losing the ability to see, if he’d stayed locking eyes with Seiichi any longer at the front. He’d retreated back into the ballroom, and enjoyed forcing Seiichi to pursue him. There was fighting and chaos all around them - _war_ , but in fancy clothing - but the other fighters knew better than to intervene. One unlucky vampire who’d fallen in Seiichi’s path had had his leg and half his torso ripped away with a flick of the bluenette’s wrist.

Keigo wondered how his cousin had become so fierce.

He loved it.

And he loved it more that he knew he would still win.

* * *

Seiichi was not surprised that Keigo’s swordsmanship evenly matched his. The silver haired vampire’s smirk of confidence was bothering him though, and he jabbed and parried, spun and danced. 

It took a bit of willpower to keep a smirk off his own face, when Keigo made a fatal mistake - he led them up to the second level balcony, where no one else was. Without anyone around them fighting, Seiichi could focus only on his opponent, and not have to worry about the vulnerabilities he’d create by what he was about to do.

Keigo would have heard of his ability to take away sight, and he showed as much when he stopped letting Seiichi focus on his eyes. Seiichi didn’t worry about that though - he’d already snatched Keigo’s ability to smell, closing it off as they passed through the blood and gore in the ballroom, and his cousin didn’t even notice. 

The next easy part was sound. Seiichi started humming, as their swords clashed and their arms bent upward, and for a moment they were almost pressed against each other, merely inches apart.

“You’re going to lose,” Seiichi whispered, but he knew his cousin heard every word… except the last one.

Keigo’s eyes widened in surprise, and the vampire shoved the bluenette away with a hard push of one blade against another. 

The hearing loss would be temporary, Seiichi realized, as he hadn’t been able to lay his power deep enough, but that was all he needed for now. He wouldn’t be able to close off Keigo’s sense of taste, but sight and touch shouldn’t have been so difficult. Except Keigo was moving with caution now, and even though those silvery dark eyes were looking at him, Seiichi couldn’t quite hold his cousin’s gaze.

He focused deeper, using the lull in swordplay to his advantage. He knew Keigo didn’t really understand his power, and would keep his distance warily. Seiichi let his lids drop, knowing he couldn’t close his eyes completely without putting himself at too much risk.

He reached out with the powers that flew in his mind, reached out not with his fingers but with his sense of touch, with his sense of taste, and smell, and hearing. He knew when each of his senses connected - smell and hearing were the easiest, since Keigo’s had already been closed - and finally, he managed to connect to Keigo’s sense of touch, surprised that he felt so much warmer in his cousin’s skin. Since they’d gotten to the balcony, he’d felt chilled to the bone in his own.

The sense of touch was the most important, and now he felt his victory approaching, as he allowed his sight to shift as well. 

That was when he saw himself, sliding down against the railing, his skin so pale it was almost white, his cheeks and lips swollen to the point of being blue. He was collapsing, falling, and it wasn’t because of his own power - something was horribly wrong.

“It seems I haven’t lost after all,” Keigo spoke, and Seiichi heard it ringing in Keigo’s own ears, but he knew that the blur of his vision wasn’t because he was using Keigo’s eyes. There was something wrong in his head, and he wasn’t able to focus.

He shot back into his own senses, shocked when he realized he was freezing. The cold seeped deep below his skin, as if it were running within him in his own blood, and he trembled violently, wrapped his arms around himself but he only seemed to grow colder. 

Even when he’d taken another’s senses, his mind was still in his own body, and it was shutting down. That’s why he’d been drawn back into it, he realized, but it was too late. He felt like he was freezing from the inside out. He tried to open his mouth, to ask what Keigo had done to him, but the muscles in his face were frozen, and soon, so was everything else. 

He became too cold to even tremble, and collapsed completely on the ground. His vision turned black, but his mind was already gone, and he knew no more.

* * *

“We need to re-think our strategy.” Kunimitsu folded his arms, as the carriage bumped away along the road.

“I realize that,” Keigo hummed, looking rather pleased considering all the carnage they’d just come out of.

“What are you going to do with him?” Kunimitsu looked down at the body crumpled on Keigo’s lap, curled up in a fetal position.

“Hm… I have a few things to ask him…” Keigo stroked Seiichi’s hair, trailing his fingers along Seiichi’s pale, frozen cheek. “Then I suppose I’ll just keep him somewhere.”

He’d removed most of Seiichi’s clothes so he could run his hands along more of the bluenette’s skin, cooling it even further. 

Kunimitsu looked at the blood splattered on both his and Keigo’s clothes, even on Seiichi’s clothes, and thought of all they had done. He had noticed his brother changed, he’d noticed himself changing, with every year they’d lived un-human. 

He leaned back and closed his eyes. He thought of Sakuno, and wondered if they’d ever see her again. He thought of Yumiko, and remembered her last words. Somehow he knew, that the prophecies they’d received at birth had already come to pass. But Yumiko’s last prophecy at her death… 

He knew, theoretically, that vampires could live forever. He wondered how long he would live before her last words would come to haunt him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one lovely piece of art for this chapter... that which never was...
> 
> ["Children"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/12-001%20children_zpsmom2y0hj.jpg)


	13. Blind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atobe and Tezuka are re-united with two people they thought were dead....but who are not the same as they remember.

He knew now, what the cursed blood was. What Yumiko had meant. He didn't know if he could trust her words, though. He'd researched everything he could about the cursed blood, and the Fuji bloodline, driven to obsession by the echo of her final prophecy.

The first known member of the Fuji family was said to have a curse inside his blood. Whether it was a curse upon the man, cast by a vampire, or whether it was the result of a curse the man had cast, was not clear. It may have even been something greater, the last remnants of an even more ancient and powerful bloodline. 

From then, other members of the Fuji line were periodically born with the cursed blood. Not all, though, and not often. The last known member to have the blood had died nearly two centuries before the twins were even born. The Fuji line was carefully tracked, and like the Yukimuras, they had interbred with every esper and sacred being they could find. It was questionable if all of their ancestors were even human.

Many other powers began to dominate in the Fujis, with the cursed blood all but forgotten. It did not seem to be that powerful on its own, and it was not even clear what the curse actually did. It didn't seem to kill anyone. It didn't consume anyone's mind. There were a few references to enchantment, but they had been vague. 

At least, it had seemed vague. Tezuka now understood, being cursed by it himself, what the texts had been saying. The Fuji family must have kept the more important texts hidden deeply within their family. 

Though mostly he had sent Momoshiro and Kaido to protect Fuji, they had one other mission - to find them.

* * *

Tezuka couldn’t believe it.

He’d gone to investigate the murders of the hunters that his offspring informed him of, planning to root out whatever foolish vampire from the minor clans was murdering humans. 

Instead, he’d found Sakuno.

It had been over a hundred years since he last saw her. She stood on the road, drifted towards the alley way where the last few murders had taken place. He’d known instantly it was her - how could he not? She had not changed at all, not aged a day since he’d last seen her.

She looked so young, her hair in two long braids, and though she wore a modern dress it was still long and flowy, with ribbons adorning its edges and giving her a look very similar to what they used to wore. Her eyes were large and round, and she had an absent, almost dreamy smile on her face, as she turned to look at him.

“Hello, Kunimitsu,” she said, as if welcoming him back from working at the carpenter's. It really felt as though time had not moved for her at all.

Tezuka had so many things to say, so many things to ask. But he’d never been a man of words and he couldn’t form any now.

She didn’t seem to expect any. She turned back and began to drift away from him.

He followed her, and she led him back to the woods, back to their very home. But Kunimitsu knew she’d never been there.

“Is Keigo home?” She asked. “I want to see both of you. I have a present I’ve been waiting to give you.”

Kunimitsu nodded, calling his brother through the bond he had as his offspring. It wasn’t a relationship Keigo ever took advantage of, except in rare communication, but Kunimitsu needed to have his twin at his side, now. 

Sakuno twirled around and settled on a couch. She was smiling so sweetly, and with her round cheeks and porcelain skin, she looked very much like a doll. 

Keigo swept down the stairs, and for once, he was just as speechless as his brother.

They’d given up their search for their sister decades ago. After all, even if she hadn’t died that night at the manor, she should have died of old age by this point.

But one look at her, and it was clear - she’d become a true blood vampire, same as they.

* * *

“We got it,” said Momo, putting a sealed envelope on Fuji’s desk. He and Kaidoh were back on the case, but they’d been demoted to something like errand boys, only because Fuji was sure they were leaking info back to their master. Momo swore up and down they weren’t - after all, it wasn’t like they had anything to leak.

Fuji tore open the envelope and read the paper, which highlighted Sanada’s expenses. As Fuji’s suspected, the commander had used his credit card and cell phone many times in the last few days.

“He’s hiding close to the enemy, and he’s trying not to draw their attention,” Fuji said finally, after setting the paper down. “He doesn’t care if the organization finds him, but he must be worried about - . . .spies.”

Momo shook his head vigorously.

Fuji tapped his finger against the desk. “Did you know Ryuuzaki Sakuno was a vampire?”

“Ryuuzaki Sakuno?” Momo looked honestly perplexed. “...Um...Oh, Tezuka and Atobe used to talk about this girl, Yukimura Sakuno, who’d been adopted as their sister. They sort of implied she was dead, though.”

“. . . I had a little history lesson the other day, and I learned she was last seen when the twins were fifteen.” Fuji rested his chin on his hand, thinking. “She was known for being close to her brothers, despite being adopted. But she never appeared throughout the history of the vampire war, or afterwards.”

Momo was staring at him. “So… what did she have to do with anything?”

“She’s alive,” said Fuji. “And she seems connected to this case. I want you to go back to your _master_ and find out what he knows.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Momo groaned. “He’s gonna figure it out instantly.”

“I don’t care if he does,” Fuji glared. “If he really isn’t responsible, then he should help us figure it out. The twins don’t have nearly as much control over the rebel clans as we all thought - maybe they’d benefit from letting us handle of this.”

It was faulty logic, but Fuji didn’t care. Maybe he was naive, maybe he was foolish, but he had this feeling like Tezuka’d be willing to help him.

His phone dinged. Fuji’s eyes narrowed as he read the message he’d received.

“My father wants me to call him,” he said, standing. “Go along with Kaidoh,” he waved his hand in a shooing motion.

He didn’t stay in his office, but went to his room to take the call. He only lets his teammates feed from him in his office - they’d never been allowed in his room, so he felt he had more privacy there.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Fuji hissed angrily, the moment his phone connected.

“I’ve been following people, so I turned off my phone,” the deep voice replied.

Sighing, Fuji sank onto his mattress, relieved to hear his friend’s voice. “Your team is worried about you.” _As am I._

“. . . I panicked,” admitted the Commander. He was, at least, fair in the evaluation of his own flaws. 

“. . . Tell me everything,” Fuji demanded, still feeling angry even though he knew perfectly well Sanada went solo in order to protect them. The brunette wondered is Sanada really would cover for Yukimura, if he’d turned out to be the murderer. 

“Seiichi’s alive,” Sanada breathed, and Fuji would have been horrified if he didn’t hear the hopeful warmth in Sanada’s tone. If Sanada’d seen his lover kill someone, he would have sounded more miserable, or so Fuji hoped. “I’ve seen him several times. He’s even walked right by me. But he didn’t even recognize me. . . and the expression on his face. . . it wasn’t _him_.” 

Sanada’s voice lowered darkly. “He was with that girl - I’m sure she’s a vampire. I saw Tezuka following her but decided to stay hidden. I’m honestly surprised they didn’t notice me, but Tezuka seemed pretty focused on her. I was hoping you’d figure out who she was for me.”

“I did,” Fuji hummed, as if figuring it out had been easy. “But there’s still a lot I’m looking into.”

“I felt I couldn’t follow them without them noticing, so I kept my distance but lost them as a result. But I figured Tezuka would have to return to the twins’ mansion, so I went to the town where the entrance is. Yukimura said the town would protect the twins, so I didn’t question anyone, I just kept to myself. I wasn’t sure if I’d get any leads.

“But then about an hour ago, I saw Yukimura with the girl again, and they walked into the woods where the twins’ mansion is. But I knew I couldn’t get in past the illusion.”

Fuji frowned, trying to think. Something was bothering him. . . “Shit. I just sent Momoshiro and Kaidou there.”

“What?! Why?”

“. . . It seemed like a good idea. Besides, they can get past the illusion. I doubt they’re there yet, I’ll give them a call - Maybe they can help you get in.”

“. . . No,” Sanada murmured. “Tell them not to go. There’s something wrong here… the way Seiichi was behaving, I think there’s a dangerous ability at work. And there was something about his expression… it was so…”

Fuji bit his lip, thinking about what he wanted to do. “I’ll tell them to come back, but I won’t tell them why. Are you going to call your team?”

“Yes. I think they can join me without anyone noticing, now that I’m no longer near headquarters. I marked where the girl and Yukimura entered the forest. I’m going to watch it to see who comes in and out.”

“Understood. I have a lot more research to do on my end, too. Echizen’s been critical in helping me. He went back home to get some of Nanjiroh’s books.”

He hung up the phone, wondering why he had such a terrible feeling in his gut. Maybe Sanada was right, and something more dangerous than they were used to was happening. 

He lay back on the bed, looking at the photo of Tezuka and the girl. 

_She’s just his sister,_ he scolded himself, wishing he didn’t feel so relieved. 

He still didn’t like her at all.

* * *

Atobe’s eyes grew wide with shock. "You're... supposed to be dead. I killed you."

Yukimura Seiichi tilted his head to the side, his hair, now long enough to curl past his shoulders, falling over his face. "Lady Sakuno kept me alive." His lips opened into a wide, dreamy smile, that matched the slight droop of his eyelids, and the way his cheeks rounded cheerfully upwards.

"Why..." Atobe backed away, his instincts to fight kicking in as he took in the sight of his powerful rival standing before him, his fingers extending into claws.

"There's no need to be afraid, Keigo," Sakuno smiled prettily, stepping in front of Yukimura with her hands out before her. "Sei-chan is no longer our enemy. Right, Sei-chan?"

"Yes, my Lady," Yukimura smiled at her sweetly. She smiled back, tilting her head just slightly, and Yukimura dropped down on his knees to bow to her like a knight.

Tezuka stared at them blankly, not sure what is going on. When Sakuno said she’d return with their present, he certainly hadn’t expected his.

"What do you mean," Atobe hissed, his eyes narrowing wearily. 

Sakuno circled around kneeling Yukimura, drawing her hand along his cheek. "Sei-chan is ours, now. You will never betray us, yes?"

"I wish only for my Lady to be happy," Seiichi said, his smile growing only brighter as she drew her fingers along his skin.

"He's our greatest enemy!" Atobe snarled, terrified of what Seiichi might do to their dear sister. "Back away from him..."

Sakuno laughed, pushing out her braids with her hands. "He once wished to fight you, yes. But no longer. Those feelings are of the past. He has no more anger, no more sadness," she stroke the curling locks, twirling them in her fingers. "No more desire to hurt you."

"What's wrong with him?" said Tezuka, having observed Yukimura’s bizarre expression of happiness, the way his cousin stared out at them with happy eyes but didn’t seem to be really looking at anything..

Sakuno’s smile widened to match Yukimura’s. She stood directly behind him, cupping his head in her palms and pressing him back against her lap. "I discovered, dear brothers, that I have the most wonderful power. It awakened in me, the moment I turned, nearly a year after we had parted, that day when all the Yukimuras _died_.” She spoke airily, her voice lifting and falling. “When I touch someone, they understands my feelings. And if I keep touching them, they’ll even feel the same as me.

“It’s a wonderful thing, to be understood. I feel such happiness, such gratefulness, that I can share my feelings this way. I filled them with my happiness, and their own horrible feelings go away. 

"I take away their anger. Their sorrow. Their vanity. Their defiance.

"I grant them happiness, true, pure happiness.

"Seiichi is our cousin, yes?" She knelt down to Yukimura's level, hugging him from behind. "I would not want to kill him. This is the best way... I have given him bliss."

Atobe finally relaxed, and reached out to take Yukimura’s hand. The bluenette responded like a doll, allowing himself to be lifted, to be drawn into Atobe’s embrace.

"Sei-chan, be good to my brothers," Sakuno hummed.

"Of course, Lady Sakuno." Yukimura let Atobe guide him upstairs. Atobe gave Tezuka a perplexed look, but Tezuka nodded, knowing his brother needed some time to get over his shock.

Tezuka needed some as well.

“You’re alive,” he said to Sakuno.

“You always had a funny way of asking questions, Kunimitsu,” Sakuno giggled.

“Why didn’t you come before us sooner?” He’d been thinking about it, and Sakuno knew far too much about them to have not known where they were. And if she’d saved Yukimura, that meant she’d been to the lake.

“I had things to do, so many things,” Sakuno drifted around the living room, touching all the furniture as if she were a curious young child. “I want us all to be a family again, and I can’t let the hunters tear us apart, not again.”

A scream shot out from upstairs. Sakuno’s smile widened, as a series of moans followed. “I’m glad Keigo is having fun.”

Tezuka had so many things to say, so many questions, so many things to tell her. But there was a heavy weight on his mind, as he looked at Sakuno and tried to remember the girl he’d known before.

“Did you kill those hunters?”

“Hm? Oh, the ones from the organization. Of course,” she smiled at him, as if he should be proud. “I’ve taken care of many of our enemies. You needn’t worry, I have many friends now, all who feel the way I do.”

Tezuka closed his eyes, wondering if these ‘friends’ were all like Yukimura. He thought of Sakuno who worked at the bakery, who couldn’t even kill a mouse. 

“Keigo has more offspring now, doesn’t he?” Sakuno asked, looking around as if she’d be able to see them. “I want to meet them. I want to meet your offspring, too.”

“They’re not here,” Tezuka replied honestly. “They all have duties to take care of.”

“But your two are trapped among the hunters,” Sakuno cooed. 

The sinking feeling in Tezuka’s gut grew, as he realized there wasn’t anything she didn’t know. 

“We should get them back,” she said with a serious nod. 

“They’re watching something for me.”

“The weapon, I know,” she smiled. “Sei-chan told me about it, when I asked nicely. I know!” She clapped her hands together, her eyes bright. “We’ll bring the weapon here!”

She sprung to Kunimitsu, placing her hands against his chest. “And once we have it, no one will ever stand against us!”

* * *

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m really glad you’re alive,” said Atobe. He hadn’t realized how much he regretted what happened that day at the lake. He’d wanted to beat his cousin, but somehow he hadn’t really thought Seiichi could die. But he’d won, and it hadn’t really hit him for days that that was it. That he’d never see Seiichi again.

But now here he was, smiling at him.

“That’s wonderful,” Seiichi replied, in the same dreamy tone he’d used before. “Sakuno hoped you’d be, that’s why she kept me alive.”

His expression was so strange, so foreign compared to the calm and serious face he’d had before. Atobe led Seiichi into his bedroom, letting him sit on his bed. He reached up to cup his cheeks, enjoying the warmth that he felt there, so different from the frozen skin he’d felt for so many years.

Sakuno’s power, however it worked, was fascinating. Atobe could never have picture Seiichi without eyes sharp and calculating, beautiful and deadly. But this Seiichi had a soft light heartedness to him, and he seemed so willing to let Atobe do whatever he wanted.

Atobe hummed to himself, wondering how far that willingness really went. He just _had_ to know.

He drew his claw down Seiichi’s shirt, tearing through the silk fabric. Soon, his cousin was wearing nothing but his skin, just the way Atobe like him. Of course, he’d kept Seiichi this way before when he’d held him captive, but this wasn’t the same. Seiichi had been frozen, unconscious… he was still beautiful but he was no more than a body, and Atobe didn’t care about just a body.

This Seiichi was different. This Seiichi had his consciousness, his memories, his awareness. Maybe Sakuno had changed his emotions, but his mind or his body should have still thought and felt physically in the same way.

Atobe thought of all the possibilities. His fingers tingled as he itched to test them out.

He extended his claw a little further, this time poking into Seiichi’s skin, right below his shoulder. He drew blood as he traced his way down, then cut a little deeper, frowning as Seiichi winced but kept smiling at him in the same way. The bluenette was breathing a little harder, but other than that, he showed no signs of fear or pain.

Atobe grew his claw so that it punched all the way through Seiichi’s forearm. 

“Aaaah!” Seiichi screamed, curling in on himself as he grabbed his bleeding arm. He sobbed into the mattress, shaking in pain.

Yukimura Seiichi had been famous for never crying or making a single sound when he was injured, out of will power and pride.

After several minutes, the bleeding stopped, and Atobe knew the wound would be closed entirely by the next day. Seiichi looked up at him from the mattress, his forehead still wrinkled in pain and his hand still clenched around the wound, but he gave him that happy, bright smile.

“Does doing this make you happy?” said Seiichi. He said it in a genuine, honest tone, without a trace of sarcasm or anger.

“O-of course,” Atobe stuttered, surprising even himself. “If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t do it.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Seiichi grinned. “If you’re happy, then Lady Sakuno will be happy, too.”

Atobe would never admit it, but he was starting to feel sort of sick.

He wanted to try something else, something he’d wanted to do, but couldn’t have done while keeping his cousin’s blood cool enough to keep him disabled.

He spent a moment looking at his cousin’s beautiful face, the light sheen of sweat across it. He rubbed Seiichi’s left nipple, then bent down and licked it with his tongue. He sucked on it till it was hard, then moved on to the other one, encouraged when he heard a pleasured sigh fall from the bluenette’s lips.

He trailed his tongue down, dipping it in Seiichi’s navel, until finally the adroit muscle reached two hardening balls, and the warming member between them.

He massaged them with his lips and tongue, his hands rubbing in circles on Seiichi’s hips and butt. When the appendage finally reached full mast, he took it into his mouth, licking at the tip and drawing it in with his cheeks. 

He began to bob his head, bringing the cock in and out and all the way down his throat, using his hands to wrap around whatever he didn’t draw in. Seiichi squirmed and moaned, his head pressed back against the pillow, and his response was incredible, his sounds and how he tried to raise his hips, needing to move even faster that Atobe’s pace. The silver haired vampire finally drew his lips all the way down to the hilt, holding them there and holding Seiichi’s hips tightly in place, enjoying how they jerked beneath his grip to demand movement. 

“Ah, ah, ah,” the bluenette was moaning so incredible, and Atobe brought his head up and down one more time - and he was swallowing, as Seiichi’s cock gushed out cum.

The bluenette was rocking violently, his limbs flailing up and down, and he orgasmed hard and long. 

“Genichirou!” The bluenette cried, squirting out more even when Atobe pulled away.

Atobe felt colder than ice as he pulled up his head, staring at his cousin’s flushed face. “Who’s Genichirou?”

“My lover,” Seiichi giggled. His loopy grin stretched across his face, his eyes sparkling with post-coital mirth.

“Your lover?” Atobe stared incredulously at the bluenette, who seemed even more giddy than he’d been before.

“You know, the handsome one you fought,” Seiichi laughed, as though Atobe was stupid for not remembering. “Oh, he's so handsome!”

“... That hunter... Sanada…” Atobe said slowly. He’d been right about one thing; Seiichi’s memories were still all there, as were any feelings pertaining to happiness, no matter who they were directed towards. 

“Yes, Sanada Genichirou. He's so handsome.” 

Frowning, Atobe stared down at his cousin, his hands on either side of Seiichi’s head.

“You're cheating on him.”

“I am? I didn't know that. Okay, thank you for telling me.” Seiichi cheerfully smiled the whole time. 

“He'll hate you, for letting another man pleasure you.” Atobe’s frown deepened.

“You think so? Oh well. I can tell it makes you happy, Keigo. Sakuno wants you to be happy, so I want you to be happy to. I'm so glad it makes you happy.”

“You should have tried to stop me.” Atobe get off the bed, away from his cousin. His libido was gone. “What I just did was worse than stabbing you in the arm.”

“Oh, that’s even better then. Lady Sakuno will be so pleased. She likes it when I get hurt.”

“Why would she like it?!” That was nothing that his sister, innocent Sakuno, would ever want.

“Because she doesn’t like me. It’s like I told you, she saved me for you and Kunimitsu’s sakes. She really loves you two, I hope you know that.”

Atobe felt so sick, he had to leave the room.

* * *

“Would you mind explaining to me why you took so long to come back?” Fuji smiled, but it was his typical, close mouthed smile that had _I’m angry_ written all over it.

But for once, Momoshiro didn’t seem to be affected at all. In fact, he grinned right back, as if he thought being scolded was a good thing. “Hey boss, we need you to come with us,” he said cheerfully, waving towards the cab that had brought him to the front of headquarters. He started walking towards it, then stopped when he realized Fuji wasn’t following him. “Errr… Kaidou’s snakes found something and we want to show you. Relating to the murders and stuff.”

Sighing, Fuji got in the cab after Momo. Ryouma then popped in the cab after him, but Kaidou was already sitting all the way on the left, so the four of them had to squish together in the back seat.

“Echizen’s not suppose to come, Momoshirou,” said Kaidou, as the cab screeched away.. But he didn’t hiss it, or shout angrily as he usually would. In fact, he sounded sort of… happy.

Fuji opened his mouth to ask why not, but instead said, “Kaidou, are you _smiling_?”

“Can’t help it,” grinned Kaidou, in that same sing-song voice. It was so out of character it was frightening.

Something was wrong.

“Where are we going?” Fuji asked coldly. He kept his eyes on the occupants to the left of him, but he nudged Ryouma with his knee to let him know he was anxious. The young hunter tapped him with his elbow in response.

“To Lady Sakuno,” Kaidou beamed. “She really wants to meet you.”

“Geez Kaidou, don’t tell them. You’re gonna mess things up, and then she won’t be happy,” Momoshirou said, still grinning.

“You already messed up by bringing the kid,” said Kaidou, “But that’s okay. We’ll just kill him once we get there.”

“Stop the cab!” Fuji shouted in horror. 

“No can do,” said the cab driver happily. He glanced back to look at them, the same wide smile on his face that Momoshirou and Kaidou wore.

Ryouma struck out his hand against the seat in front of him, his golden eyes gleaming. Suddenly the cab veered left, the wheel turning sharply on its own even though the driver tried to stop it, and it all happened in a flash as the cab ran up a curb and smashed into a brick wall.

Fuji could feel it, Ryouma holding him in the seat securely with his powers, but Momoshirou and Kaidou and the driver all flew forward. Time was moving fast and slow, as Ryouma grabbed Fuji’s hand, dragging him out of the smoking cab and onto the sidewalk. Pedestrians were looking at them, and a few were pulling out their cell phones.

But they didn’t wait. Ryouma and Fuji ran, knowing that the two vampires wouldn’t have been hurt, only a little disoriented. They dove into an ally, trying to collect their breath and their thoughts.

Fuji panted, “That was like-”

“Kite,” groaned Ryouma.

“- and Yukimura,” added Fuji.

“What?” The gold eyed hunter turned to glare at him.

“I just heard from Sanada,” Fuji gushed. “He saw Yukimura, but Yukimura had some expression that wasn’t like him. Just like Kite, and just like those three just now. Sanada thought there was someone’s ability that caused it.”

“It has to be Sakuno,” Ryouma breathed hard, exhausted from sprinting and over using his powers. “Kite mentioned a ‘her’ too.”

“Oh god, my cell is in the cab,” Fuji sighed. “We have to get back to headquarters. We have to warn Sanada and his team. If she can control anybody. . .”

They both looked at each other.

“Neither of us are smiling like lunatics so I guess we’re alright,” Ryouma snorted. “Momo always looks like that so I didn’t think . . . is it just me, or is he a really good liar?”

“That’s a terrible thought,” Fuji muttered. They trudged towards a major street, after they realized they weren’t that far from headquarters. Fuji could only pray they weren’t going to be ambushed before they got there. He’d hate to fight his own team members. 

“Hey. . .” Ryouma said solemnly, after they’d walked for awhile. “You know how Kite killed his own clansmen? It was a lot like how my dad died.”

Fuji’s frown grew heavy, and he took Ryouma’s hand, giving it a squeeze. He knew they’d both already come to the same conclusion.

Ryouma’d found Nanjirou’s murderer, but what could they do next?

* * *

Momoshirou and Kaidou didn’t go back to the headquarters. They’d found the cab driver alone in the damaged cab, incredibly dazed. He deliriously told the hunters that got him that he didn’t mind getting hurt, he was just happy to have helped _her_.

At first, when Yanagi and Oishi went to interrogate him, he refused to describe her, saying she wouldn’t want him to, and that he’d only met her for a few minutes anyway, when she’d summoned his cab. But after a few days, the euphoric daze he’d been in wore off like a hangover, and he became completely cooperative, and seemed fairly normal. He still didn’t know anything.

In his report, Fuji had been careful not to mention his contact with Sanada. The Council made their own conclusions and decided Sanada must have been under this woman’s control as well. Since the cab driver didn’t know a name, and Fuji and Ryouma hadn’t offered one, she was just being labeled as a mystery girl who had a very dangerous power.

The real problem was, Fuji couldn’t give an explanation for how two of his teammates had come into contact with her, or why they’d been trying to kidnap him. Both he and Ryouma were confined to house arrest. Fuji still didn’t have a cell phone, and he wasn’t allowed to talk to Ryouma.

One thing was for sure - nothing would happen if he just stayed there. If anything, Sakuno would work her power on more people, and things would get significantly worse.

Fuji crept over to his window. Sengoku was his guard today - _chauffeur_ , the elders were calling it - which meant the orange haired hunter was either napping or texting what numbers from girls he had on his phone. Either would be a significant distraction.

Looking at what he had, Fuji could see his blankets wouldn’t be long enough to get him to the ground… but they would get him to the next window.

And in the next window, Yukimura’s room lay untouched… meaning the rope he used to get down would still be there.

Fuji stepped out his window, swallowing whatever nervousness he couldn’t afford to feel, and threw his blankets across, with what he hoped would be an adequate anchor wrapped within them. He could feel the blanket was hardly secure on either side, and in the end he only made it across because the distance was so short. He supposed he should be grateful the bluenette’s window was at least open.

“I’ve been waiting for you to do that,” said Yanagi, startling Fuji, then making him sigh in exasperation at his failure. The intelligence specialist was sitting on Yukimura’s bed, looking at graphs on his tablet.. “I’d predicted you would be here ten minutes ago - I even opened the window.”

“Are you going to let me out?” Fuji hissed, staring at Yukimura’s doorway and wondering if Sengoku was in the hallway or not.

“No,” said Yanagi bluntly. “I have questions for you, that I know you wouldn’t have answered in the formal inquiry of the Council.”

“You probably already know everything I do,” Fuji huffed, sitting on the desk chair. 

“Probably,” Yanagi nodded, still looking at his tablet. “But I do appreciate verification.”

“Then go ask Echizen,” Fuji thinned his lips. He was already struggling with the sort-of loss of his teammates, he didn’t need a pointless interrogation on top of that. 

“Hmmm….” Yanagi’s voice faded as he turned off his tablet, and stood up. He looked at Fuji as if he was going to say something, he even moved his lips as if he were talking, but then turned around and left.

Fuji sat stubbornly on the bed until he left, then checked under it, but of course the chord was gone. 

He lay back down on the bed, closing his eyes. After a few minutes he started to get up, but found he couldn’t see anything, like his eyes were just so tired they refused to open. So he stayed on the bed, deciding to just fall asleep, since he wasn’t allowed to do anything anyway.

The sheets felt so soft, like they weren’t even there, and he didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

* * *

“The probability of you telling me anything is less than ten percent. But with Syuusuke’s current emotional state, and his refusal to even acknowledge me, it is still better than his zero percent.”

“Who are you again?” Ryouma blinked at Yanagi, who sighed and waved at the guard before leaving. Ryouma scowled at the guard, a young hunter whose straight black hair fell past his shoulders, and who scowled right back at him. 

Ryouma went back to his desk, to look at his dad’s diary. He kept glancing at his closet, where his father’s arm, carefully preserved in glass, was hidden. He knew it was a vile thing to keep, but it was all he had, and he didn’t want to leave it in the house for Rinko or Nanako to find. The heartbreak was already too unbearable for them.

It was late into the night when he heard a thud against his door. Eyes narrowing, he went to open his door, knocking on it to get the guard’s response. But instead of the door opening, he heard a faint groan and a weak knock back. 

“Hey, is something wrong?” Ryouma frowned. He reached out with his telekinesis, shoving around the lock until he was sure he’d broke it, and yanked open the door. 

The guard came tumbling backward into the room, his legs already collapsed onto the ground.

“What happened?!” Ryouma bent down to find the guard feverish but alive. His eyes were blinking but he was quickly losing consciousness, a fine sheen of sweat covering his skin. . 

Realizing he heard footsteps, Ryouma laid the guard back into his room, and quietly stepped into the hallway. 

“. . . Fuji-sempai?!” He gasped, blinking to adjust to the dim light.

Sure enough, Fuji was walking towards him down the hallway, his foot steps slow and quiet. His face was blank, his eyes staring calmly down the path, and he didn’t seem to notice Echizen standing there, or the guard’s feet which were still sticking out into the hall. 

A sense of deja vu swept through the young hunter, as he realized he’d been in this exact situation before.

 _That’s the same expression as the bald man who was killed!_

The brunette walked by him without even a glance, so Ryouma grabbed his arm.

Blue eyes turned to look at him, and Fuji’s mouth opened slightly, then twisted into a light, happy smile. "You must be Ryouma. You look just like Nanjiroh." The voice was happy and soft, it was still Fuji's voice, but it wasn’t his tone.

That was when something bit Ryouma on the ankle. 

“Shit!” Ryouma cursed, as a snake slithered out from between his legs. He grabbed it with his power, slamming it against the wall. It fell unconscious or dead to the floor, but Ryouma could already feel the poison making its way into his blood.

 _That’s what happened to the guard,_ he realized. _Fuji’s guard must have been bit too!_

The brunette easily shook Ryouma’s arm loose since his strength began to wane, and continued walking steadily down the hallway. 

Refusing to give up, even as his knees gave out on him, Ryouma reached out and grabbed Fuji with his telekinesis. 

Fuji began to struggle, like a bug in a web, his limbs twisting and quivering with exertion. He turned his head slowly to look back at Ryouma, and said in that same, foreign tone, “You’re hurting him.”

Ryouma grit his teeth, knowing it was true - using his telekinesis like this was like grabbing Fuji with a giant’s hand, and he could cut or crush the brunette if he kept struggling like that. But he couldn’t stop, for Fuji’s sake.

The doll that Fuji currently was sighed, and looked at Ryouma with pitying eyes. "Alright then, have it your way."

The hallway went pitch black. Ryouma blinked, then realize the real problem was that he was blind.

“No!” He shouted, struggling to get up despite the seeping poison. Without being able to see, he couldn’t risk using telekinesis, and already he could hear the footsteps as Fuji continued on his way.

He stumbled back into his room, praying he wouldn’t step on the unconscious guard, bumped into his dresser, then felt around till he found his cell plugged in by the wall. 

There started to be noise in the hallway - the sounds of doors opening, and people coming out of their rooms, finally awakened by the noise, even as Ryouma’s sight suddenly came back. He dialed Oishi, but didn’t have to say anything as other hunters from the dorms rushed into his room, still in their pajamas but trying to shake him and ask him what happened to him and the guard. 

The world was spinning around him, and Ryouma couldn’t really think any more. He thought Oishi got there, not that he could remember talking to the doctor on the phone, and he thought and the guard were being carried away, and someone was picking up the dead snake and putting it in a bag.

But no matter where he looked, he couldn’t see Fuji, and soon his eyes closed as he drifted into a feverish unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One artwork for this chapter ~
> 
> [Sakuno Lives](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/03%20sakura_by_neumegami-d4tv7p7_zpsls906ynu.jpg)


	14. Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuji is captured again, but something is horribly different this time...

Chapter 6, Part 2

* * *

Fuji woke up with a start, or rather, he was finally able to see and observe his surroundings. 

He was in a car, in the middle seat between two very familiar vampires - Kaidou sat on his right, Yukimura on his left. Both had wide, giddy grins, and though Fuji was glad to see his blue haired friend alive, he shuddered seeing those horribly uncharacteristic expressions. 

He didn’t know how he’d gotten there, but he could put enough pieces together to guess. One minute he’d been talking to Yanagi, then he’d thought he’d fallen asleep even though he wasn’t tired. Looking back, he realized Yukimura had used his power on him. He’d never seen the bluenette use his abilities, but he’d heard the famed vampire could control people once he fully took over their senses. 

He didn’t know why Kaidou was there, if he had any exact role in the kidnapping, or was just there to keep Fuji from escaping. But the grin on his normally scowling teammate’s face was just too awkward to look at, so Fuji turned to look at Yukimura instead.

The bluenette was looking out the window, grinning happily, but he didn’t acknowledge that Fuji was awake. He looked thinner than the hunter remembered, but it was really his clothes that made Fuji’s eyes grow wide.

Seiichi was wearing a skirt. 

And long black stockings, that ran up his thighs, and with the skirt so short and pulled shorter by Yukimura sitting, Fuji could see black garter belts as well. Even the vampire’s lace up ankle boots had short heels and a lace around the top. His tight gray blouse could marginally pass as men’s clothes, but with his hair so long it curled past his shoulders, anyone would think he was a girl. Even Fuji couldn’t help but question, despite being mistaken for a girl before himself before.

“Why are you dressed like that?” Fuji asked tentatively, unable to contain his curiosity. 

“My own clothes got torn, and Lady Sakuno thought it’d be funny,” Yukimura beamed, “Since it’s so humiliating.” He sounded so pleased, as if by wearing girl’s clothes he was doing a great service. 

Fuji decided not to ask anything else. He knew they were headed to the twins’ mansion, looking at the forest on the road around him. It didn’t make any sense, when Tezuka had let him go before - but Tezuka wasn’t behind this, Fuji was sure of that. 

He almost laughed at the many ironies around it all.

He’d wanted to solve the case, to find Sanada and clear all his friends’ names. . . and secretly, Tezuka’s name too. But Yukimura and Tezuka were too deeply connected. And now he was being pulled in much deeper than he’d ever meant to be - probably as the next victim.

* * *

Tezuka watched from the second story as Fuji was dragged from the black car. He didn’t dare go down, didn’t know how to intervene.

He hadn’t wanted this. He hadn’t dreamed that Sakuno would do to his offspring, who’d refused to cooperate, what she’d done to Seiichi. But he hadn’t stopped her, hadn’t known how to deal with his dear sister’s new, dark colors. Or perhaps they weren’t new…. he didn’t know. He didn’t know anything, not about her or about what she had done for the last hundred years, or what she was planning now. And he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

But when he saw her exit the mansion to greet her newest captive, saw her reach out to touch Fuji’s skin, he raked his claws into the wall, drawing out large gashes.

* * *

Fuji knew Ryuuzaki Sakuno the moment he saw her. She skipped towards him like a little girl, her braids flowing daintily behind her. Her smile was wide, innocent, like her eyes; she seemed so young, so childlike and delightful as her fingers brushed against Syuusuke's cheek.

Syuusuke felt _it_ , passing through him, tingling from his skin down through his arms and legs, sweeping into his consciousness like a soft, gentle wave. He exhaled softly, closing his eyes, and already he could feel himself warming, then cooling.

His eyes reopened to meet hers, and his words were clear. "Whatever power you've used on my friends, it's not working on me."

She drew away, wide eyed, quiet in her shock, her mouth dropped open. Then she drew her lips into a thin line, and that innocence was gone from her eyes, replaced by a hard, calculating leer. Her body tilted back as she straightened, then twirled, side stepped out of the way, and let Kaidou and Seiichi drag him up the steps into the mansion.

Syuusuke could only feel relief, glad the small immunity he had to some abilities had kicked in. He prayed she wouldn’t try again, as her powers would probably work if she kept trying, but she had looked so disgusted when they hadn’t worked the first time that he had a feeling she wouldn’t. He only wished this ability of his was stronger, like it was for one of his cousins, who could even nullify abilities being used around her. 

He was dragged into a large room on the first story. It was lavishly furnished with a king sized pole bed, that had sheer cloth draped off the bars connecting the poles, and a round table with a few chairs around it. 

“Kaidou, back to your duties,” Sakuno waved her hand, dismissing him. “Sei-chan, don’t let him leave.”

“Of course, my lady,” Yukimura smiled, looking at her like she brought sunshine to the world. 

“Oh, and I brought matching clothes for him too,” she giggled. “Take care of that, will you?”

“Of course.” Yukimura turned to look at Fuji with his cheerful, empty smile.

Syuusuke tried to brace himself, but as had happened before, he felt his consciousness shutting off, each of his senses shutting down one by one, until all he had was darkness.

* * *

Atobe laughed as he watched Fuji Syuusuke, squirming in the short pleated skirt he’d been forced to wear. He’d stopped by earlier when he heard of their new arrival, to find Seiichi passed out on the bed and Fuji dressing himself in girl’s clothing. 

It was really a marvel, how extraordinarily his cousin’s power worked when he had the time to focus, though it left him too vulnerable to be used under most circumstances. Not that the current Seiichi cared about anything regarding his own health. 

Atobe stayed to watch the show, and was amused when Syuusuke finally came to, to find himself dressed like a schoolgirl and Atobe Keigo looming over him. The brunette pressed himself up against the doors of a huge wardrobe, as the vampire stalked closer and cupped the hunter’s chin.

“To think, I had the weapon in my hands and didn’t even know,” Atobe snorted, tilting Syuusuke’s head to either side.

“. . . Weapon? That’s what this is about?” The brunette trembled beneath his touch, no doubt remembering the last time he was in the silver haired vampire’s care. 

Atobe was very relieved that Sakuno didn’t use her power on him, or it didn’t work, or whatever. He was disgusted by the happy smiles on the faces of Seiichi and Tezuka’s offspring. He’d warned his own offspring to stay far away.

He tried to ignore Seiichi, who was sitting on the bed grinning with empty eyes like a doll. That wasn't Seiichi. That wasn't the proud, beautiful warrior he'd fought and barely defeated twice. He knew that Seiichi was as strong as him, his true equal, and he loved his cousin for it, just as he loved Kunimitsu.

That was not that Seiichi. That was some burbling, delirious child who wouldn't know poison from fruit.

“You’re going to be disappointed,” Fuji breathed. It was so cute, how he was pretending he wasn’t scared. “I can’t get my power to do anything. I couldn’t even stop the ones addicted to my blood from kidnapping me.”

“That’s because you misunderstand it,” Atobe grinned. “It doesn’t matter if you can control people - what matters is who controls _you_.”

Sakuno’s plan was brilliant, Atobe thought, when he heard it. It was everything they’d tried to do during the vampire war, and more.

“What do you mean?” Fuji shuddered, as Atobe drew his free hand under Fuji’s skirt and along his smooth thigh.

“Just think about it,” Atobe whispered in his ear. “The vampires that need your blood. They don’t need you to allow it - they can just take it. Or. . .” His hand moved higher, rubbing Fuji’s butt, which was covered by thin lacy underwear. “Whoever has possession of you can decide whether or not they’re allowed to have it.”

* * *

It was the same plan the elders had tried, Fuji realized. Infect the vampires, give them the drug, then control them by controlling how they’d get their supply. 

He remembered his terror, so long ago, when Tezuka had saved him from such a fate at the masquerade. 

As if the thought of him was a trigger, Tezuka appeared in the doorway. His eyes met Fuji’s and for a moment, Fuji thought he felt a tug, and his heart clenched painfully. 

Their eye contact finally broke, as Tezuka’s eyes narrowed down towards where Atobe’s hand disappeared.

“Keigo,” he growled. “We need to talk. Now.”

Atobe turned his head to glare at his brother. “. . . Fine.”

He left Fuji to sink against the wardrobe in relief. He seemed to notice Tezuka’s eyes were still on Fuji rather than him, and he walked towards the door so that they could no longer see each other.

“Let’s talk upstairs,” Atobe hissed. He grabbed his brother’s hand, pulling him away after giving Fuji one last sharp glance.

* * *

Ryouma woke up after two nights of fever, according to Oishi. They’d neutralized the poison quickly, after identifying the snake, and he and the guards were all alright.

Ryouma didn’t have to ask to know that Fuji was gone. He slipped out of the ward as soon as he could, going back to his room just to change into his uniform and grab his weapons. 

In less than a week, his entire team had been taken. Even if he hadn’t known them very long, they’d all become a part of his life. He wasn’t going to stay lying in a bed or locked in a room.

He was going to save his team members, and find his father’s murderer.

* * *

Fuji had to admit, though it was something he usually refused for himself, that he was scared. Not just of being captured, or whatever the little vampire girl's plans were for him, or of the twins - but for Seiichi.

The effeminate vampire was lounging, sometimes getting up and aimlessly drifting around, before picking some spot he hadn't been at before to settle into. Then he would sit, or lie, for hours, barely moving, barely sleeping. 

It was like he was on some sort of a marijuana high. His expression would rotate from a serene blank, to a cheerful, warm smile, especially if Sakuno came in the room, and always when she touched him. Fuji doubted she had to touch the vampire as often as she did to maintain her hold over him - after all, she'd disappeared for days, and Seiichi didn't respond or show any signs of normalicy. Even someone who didn't know him, who'd never met him, would have noticed there was something horribly wrong with him. Syuusuke could only feel relief for himself, that he somehow wasn't affected by Sakuno's ability.

What worried him more was that Seiichi didn't seem to want to feed. He only took in blood if Sakuno brought him wine or tablets, but he drank from his glass as if he were happy to intake something she had given him, as if the blood that was necessary for his inhuman life wasn't important. He’d even throw away the drink, if she left before he finished it. For once, Syuusuke regretted the special blood he'd been born with - he wished, even if it was only a little, that he could help feed his friend. He knew, he'd seen it in vampires they'd kept captive for a time, that Seiichi was getting weaker. Vampires always looked the same, but there were little signs, the way his movements slowed, how he opened doors and lifted things as if they were heavy, when he instead should have had to hold back his inhuman strength. The long periods he didn't move.

Syuusuke had never heard of a vampire dying from not feeding, but starvation was a common tactic hunters used to weaken their prey. It was a simple tactic: locate the vampire where he rested during the day, surround all his escape routes with traps. If he noticed and didn't come out, they'd just wait until he was too weak to move, and that would be it. It wasn't a method Syuusuke's team used, since their opponents were always too strong or too clever to fall for it, but he knew other teams that had.

The organization was out to kill Yukimura Seiichi. They didn't know he was being controlled. What if they found him?

What threw Syuusuke off, though, was that Seiichi could still very well focus and use his power. Syuusuke was allowed to wander the mansion's left wing; use all its facilities, cook for himself, take care of himself and in little ways Seiichi. But if he wandered out of the zone Sakuno must have specified to Seiichi, he'd black out, his senses gone, and he always came to in the same place, in the room he'd first woken up in.

Sometimes, Kaidou came to bring groceries. At first, Fuji didn’t want to talk to him, but finally he realized what had been bothering him since his capture.

“Where’s Momo?” He asked, as Kaidou set a bag of fruit down on the kitchen counter. 

“That idiot,” Kaidou said, but with a smile rather than his normal hiss, “is locked in the guest house. Lady Sakuno is so wonderful, she knew that stupid peach let Echizen into the cab. He’s always doing that crap - he claims he knows what Master _really_ wants, and does his own shit instead of what he’s been ordered. And now he’s doing that to Sakuno too.”

But even as he was talking, Kaidou had a distant look on his face, like he didn’t believe his own words. His smile even faded for a moment, but then he stopped talking and was back to sporting a happy-go-lucky grin. 

Fuji could only be relieved that Atobe wasn't around. The few times he'd seen the silver haired vampire come to the mansion it had been a quick visit accompanied by a pair of his offspring; they’d go upstairs, and Fuji could hear them moving things around, before leaving again. Fuji knew he should be worried; the crafty vampire was obviously planning something big; but he could only feel relief, remember the torture he'd suffered before.

He hadn’t seen Tezuka again since that first day, but he felt like the bespectacled vampire was nearby, hiding from him. It was the same as his first captivity here, which Tezuka had been reluctant to be a part of. Kaidou came to feed from him, but not Momo or Tezuka, and it made Fuji laugh, thinking that whatever plan Atobe had been talking about, it didn’t mean much. But looking at Seiichi, Fuji felt worried for Momo too, afraid he wasn’t being allowed to eat.

One thing was clear, from everything he’d gotten out of Seiichi and Kaidou - Sakuno didn’t care about any of them. If anything, she hated them, and she enjoyed using her powers to humiliate them or make them suffer. When she’d come to renew her power on Seiichi, she wouldn’t quite look at either of them, and if she happened to, it was as if she were looking at a shovel, just some tool she’d need later to dig graves.

* * *

In the small town outside of the forest hiding the mansion, Sanada paced with his team in the room. They had an extra too - Echizen Ryouma, lost without his team, who’d also agreed they should move on their own, with minimal support from the organization. 

The elders had been too quiet. They were waiting for something, and Sanada had a feeling it was for Fuji’s power to magically emerge and fix everything. They didn’t understand, no, Sanada and Fuji had never let them understand, how Fuji’s power worked. They’d acted as if Fuji actually controlled Kaidou and Momo, because that was easier than explaining the bargain they’d struck with the two. Sanada didn’t know why he’d agreed to go along with it. The elders wouldn’t have - they’d probably have executed the two vampires just for being Tezuka’s offspring. Which was why Fuji’d wanted to lie about it in the first place.

That, and the brunette had wanted his power to be useful for once. He’d always had an inferiority complex, despite his incredible skills with the sword and everything else they’d been taught in school, for not having an ability more tangible. He’d been distracted when no ability at all awoke for Yuuta, focusing on coddling his little brother, but after Yuuta had died, it seemed like Fuji was in even more despair that he couldn’t use his power to force Tezuka to free them. 

Sanada wondered how Fuji was doing now. He refused to believe his childhood friend was dead. There hadn’t been a body, like with the other dead hunters, and Echizen insisted that Sakuno had specifically ordered Fuji’s capture. 

Echizen had arrived with quite a bit of knowledge, but not very much about Sakuno. She was a mystery figure in history, and it wasn’t clear why the Ryuuzakis had chosen her to be the spy. She’d been so young, and her loyalty hadn’t been guaranteed. And it seemed like her power hadn’t manifested until she was older, otherwise the vampire war would have gone differently. 

Having been there for several weeks, Sanada had managed to procure an apartment that overlooked the edge of the forest. They’d seen some movement, but never enough to move in for a capture - cars with dark windows would go in and out, but they vanished quickly into the illusion. And they took different routes, so Sanada never knew if they belonged to the siblings or town locals until it was too late.

But today something different had happened. A stretch limo had gone into the woods, and Sanada was sure that it bore someone important.

He had a feeling something would change tonight, and Echizen and his team agreed. They readied their weapons, and crept down towards the woods.

* * *

“Welcome, gentlemen,” Sakuno beamed, as she swung open the mansion’s double doors, then twirled to face their guests.

“About time you invited us over for dinner, Atobe,” said one of the two tall, sharply dressed men that stepped from the limo. His sandy hair flipped out around his head, and he swept it out off his cheek with his ever bandaged arm.

“A century's hardly enough to prepare for a visit from the leaders of the great Shitenouji and Fudoumine clans,” Atobe smirked, standing next to Sakuno and bowing slightly in welcome.

“We’re too old to care for flattery,” snorted the second man, his dark eyes sharp and accentuated by the mole placed squarely on his forehead, beneath his short black hair. “You owe us introductions.”

“Ah yes,” Atobe fluttered his hands, motioning the two into the entry room. “This is my dear sister Sakuno. Sakuno, this is Shiraishi of the Shitenouji clan -” he nodded to the sandy haired man “- and Tachibana of the Fudoumine clan,” then turned to nod at the darker, more serious one. 

“And our present?” Shiraishi grinned. He didn’t seem interested in the mansion or their hosts at all, instead examining the wrapping of his bandages. 

“Of course,” Atobe drawled, smoothly guiding them up the stairs. “May I present the heir to the Fuji family, our beautiful little captive Syuusuke.”

He threw open the door to the upper story bedroom, smiling as he took in the sight of his carefully prepared presentation.

Fuji was on full display like a Greek statue. The only things covering his skin were the ropes that bound his wrists and ankles. They forced him to sit up on his knees, and pulled his feet apart, though it was cute how he still tried to hold his thighs together as if to bring him some vague modesty. 

His shivering blue eyes met Atobe’s for a brief moment, before he looked away to avoid the lustful stares of the two new men examining every inch of his pale, exposed body. He didn’t speak a word, since early while being tied up, Atobe had slipped that hearing Fuji beg or argue was an irresistible turn on. Of course, silence was what Atobe really wanted, but since he was being honest about the stimulating effects of Fuji’s voice, the brunette believed him and stayed silent. It was so much more fun, Atobe felt, without a gag.

“Well, as they say, two’s company, three’s a crowd,” Atobe drawled airily. “The little human not counted, of course. I’ll leave you two to have a little fun, then we’ll talk business downstairs.”

And with that, Atobe and Sakuno slipped out and closed the door, leaving the two clan heads alone with their bound and naked prey.

* * *

The first thing they did was cut away the ropes with their claws. But it didn’t matter - the brunette wouldn’t be going anywhere.

“It’s been a while since we shared,” Shiraishi licked his lips, glancing at Tachibana.

The dark haired vampire shrugged and crawled on to the bed, pinning down Fuji’s arms with hungry eyes. “Do you think he’s a virgin?”

“He was captured by Atobe Keigo,” Shiraishi rolled his eyes. “But I suppose it doesn’t hurt to check.”

He quickly stripped then drew up onto the bed as well, and ran his hand up Fuji’s inner leg. The brunette bit his lip, trying not to whimper, as the vampire stuck two fingers into his ass hole and wiggled them around.

“Hm… not a virgin, but it’s been a while,” Shiraishi shrugged. He began stroking Fuji’s spot, and bent down to lick his cock. Fuji panted, not wanting to be pleasure by this horrible stranger, but already he could feel himself growing warm. 

Tachibana took off his pants, pulling out his large, rock hard dick. He stroked it while watching Shiraishi work on Fuji. 

Sweat collected on the brunette’s forehead, as his length grew harder and his balls more taught, but the sandy haired vampire stopped his ministrations just as Fuji began to wish he wouldn’t. 

“He’s really loosened up. Why don’t we do this together?” Shiraishi purred. “It’s much better when the ecstasy is shared.”

“Hm,” Tachibana grunted, as Shiraishi pulled Fuji up into a squatting position and drew him into something like a hug. Tachibana pushed against the human’s back, drawing along his sides and then pulling up his hips and splitting his buttcheeks with his hands.

Fuji gasped as the hard appendage press against the rim of his butthole, but he couldn’t even react before the head of the large cock pushed in.

“Ah...ah…” Whimpering, he tried to relax and ignore the pain as his hole was being filled. He didn’t remember it hurting this much, not when Tezuka took him, or Atobe’s little torture toys. Tachibana was forcing his way up before the muscles could relax, and drops of water slipped from Fuji’s eyes as the appendage buried itself all the way to the hilt.

But instead of pulling back out, the cock stayed there buried, as Tachibana pushed up his thighs, forcing Fuji’s body higher and his dick as deep as it could possibly go. Shiraishi helped lift the brunette as well, pressing their chests together until Fuji was pinned between the two vampires.

Then Shiraishi thrust his hips up, forcing his own dick in next to Tachibana’s.

“ _Aaaaaaaaaaah!_ ”

This time Fuji screamed, overwhelmed as the attack on his insides doubled in size. He screamed as they started to move, his screams mixing in with their pleasured moans and thrilled laughter.

Tears streamed down Fuji’s cheeks, his head thrown back against Tachibana’s shoulder, as they thrust opposite of each other and built up a rhythm. He felt overcome by the pain, but somehow there was pleasure too, as they put intense pressure on his internal nerves. It wasn’t enough either way, though, to make him pass out or orgasm, and they were laughing, enjoying rubbing against each other inside of him, and then - 

They bent down their heads, piercing his neck on either side with their fangs.

* * *

Tezuka knew something was wrong when he saw Seiichi sitting in the garden. The errand Keigo had sent him to run hadn’t taken as long as it should of, and he had a sneaking suspicion his early return wasn’t in his brother’s plans.

The bluenette was staring blankly at the roses, sitting on the ground with his knees tucked up, clearly not caring that he was showing everything under the short skirt he wore. He didn’t acknowledge Tezuka’s presence at all, until the bespectacled brunette took hold of his chin and forced him to look at him.

“Why are you out here?” He growled, his eyes searching Seiichi’s emotionless face for some sign that his cousin was still in there.

“Lady Sakuno said important people were coming over, and to wait outside,” Seiichi replied obediently. He blinked a few times, but otherwise remained expressionless, even his voice a soft monotone.

Tezuka’s eyes narrowed as he straightened, and swiftly marched toward the mansion. There were no important people other than those in their little family, and Sakuno’s choice of words made him suspicious. 

His siblings were standing in the living room when he burst inside, both turning to look at him with smiles on their faces.

“We have a few guests tonight, Kunimitsu,” Atobe drawled, looking rather pleased with himself.

“We welcomed them with a banquet,” Sakuno smiled, twirling happily. “Fitting for two clan leaders.”

“I thought we would never bring outside clans here,” Tezuka growled, clenching his fist and glaring at Atobe.

“It won’t matter soon,” Atobe waved his hand dismissively. “Once they realize what they’re drinking.”

A scream shattered the air, coming from upstairs. Tezuka’s mind went blank, and suddenly he was racing up towards it.

* * *

Fangs pierced into Fuji’s thigh. Screaming, his body shook with tumultuous pleasure as the aphrodisiac entered his bloodstream so close to his groin. He came after only a few seconds, bucking hard. Shiraishi pulled his fangs away, instead moving to lap up his ejaculated seed, licking off this stomach then sucking on his cock's tip.

Tachibana stroked his hair, smiling as if he was looking at the most beautiful thing in the world. With neither vampire sucking on him, Fuji's drugged state came crashing down, and the little pleasureful caresses were not enough to keep the pain at bay. Tears streamed down his cheeks, sobs puffed from his mouth, and both vampires were now looking at him, their very eyes were raping him all over again, and he felt an intense shame he'd never known.

All the things Atobe had done had been horrible, but they felt... private. Being violated by these strangers, and knowing he would be given to many, many more, some in larger groups than this...

* * *

Tezuka's eyes widened behind his glasses as he took in the sight of Fuji's body. Marks, everywhere, little trails of blood from all the places they had bitten him. On his neck... on his thighs... even on his chest near his heart...

And his eyes, those blue, blue eyes, were looking at him. Though struggling to keep his lids open, Fuji was still looking at him, still watching _him_ , just as he had every time... when Atobe had captured him... when Tezuka first tasted his blood... at the masquerade...

Always, always those eyes.

Tezuka's eyes went red.

He wasn't even conscious of his movements. Before he knew it, Shiraishi was flying across the room, his body crashing with a bang into the far wall. Tachibana's throat was in his hands, so malleable within his palms, and it was crushed, torn open by his nails, every part of the black haired vampire that connected his body to his brain swiftly severed. Then Tezuka had Shiraishi, dragging him by the back of the neck back towards the bed, holding him up as if to show him what he'd done, pushing on the bones until his spine cracked. It wasn't enough to kill a vampire, for which Tezuka was glad, for he swiftly pierced his hand into the young leader's chest, grasping at the erratically pumping heart he found there, heart pumping _his Syuusuke's blood_ , and pulled.  
By the time Atobe and Sakuno reached the room, the walls were sprayed with blood and body parts. 

Tezuka was wrapping Fuji up in a blanket, and when he noticed his siblings he looked at them with a glare so sharp it could cut diamonds. Atobe felt his own heart pound in response, his eyes widening as they met with his twin’s hazel orbs, and he felt a twinge of wonder as he tried to remember who this person was.

Then the moment was broken as they broke eye contact, and Atobe found that he could breath again. Tezuka lifted Fuji up in his arms and tucked him up against him.

Both brunettes were silent as Tezuka carried him to the door. Tezuka again met Atobe’s gaze, and for the first time in a hundred years, both brothers felt as if they heard each other’s thoughts.

Atobe took a step back out of the doorway to let his brother pass.

“Kunimitsu,” said Sakuno, reaching out her hand to touch Tezuka’s.

“Don’t.” Atobe grabbed Sakuno’s wrist before she could.

His steel gray eyes glanced up to meet Tezuka’s, whose eyes had widened behind his thin lenses.

_Hurting you is the last thing I ever wanted._

Then Tezuka turned away, carrying Fuji down the hallway and into his own room.

_Then stop hurting me._

* * *

The woods were both freeing and claustrophobic, Ryouma thought, as he walked among the thick spray of trees. He wasn’t worried about getting lost - no matter how many times he’d done this, he always ended up at the lake, or expelled out to the town’s edge. 

He’d tried to follow the cars into the woods. Sanada and his team had stayed at the edge, but the young hunter was too restless to simply crouch and wait. 

It had seemed like this walk, too, would take him to the lake. The sounds of engines or any sort of humanity had disappeared.

But after a few minutes of disheartened wandering, he realized there was something different, something in the air.

He smelled cigar smoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much artwork for this chapter! Fuji and Yukimura's clothes, their predicament, and Fuji's rape by Tachibana and Shiraishi - all plotted by neumegami, in her beautiful artwork:
> 
> ["Sakuno and Keigo"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-001%20Sakuno%20amp%20Keigo_zpss54ehcip.jpg)
> 
> ["Fuji and Yukimura, Dressed as Girls"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-003%20Fuji%20amp%20Yuki%20Captured_zps69f03ofl.jpg)
> 
> ["Shiraishi and Tachibana Take Fuji"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-006%20Fuji%20raped%20by%20Shira%20amp%20Tachi_zpsoteurjpv.jpg)
> 
> This is more of an omake then what exactly happened in the story ^^;; ...
> 
> ["Fuji and Yukimura, Captured" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-004%20Fuji%20amp%20Yuki%20gifts%201_zpsqf5karme.jpg)
> 
> ["Fuji and Yukimura, Captured" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-005%20Fuji%20amp%20Yuki%20gifts%202_zpsud5ramdg.jpg)
> 
> And also...
> 
> ["Fuji and Yukimura, the Beautiful Warriors"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/14-002%20Fuji%20amp%20Yuki_zpsqh5v7icz.jpg)


	15. Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tezuka knows he has to make a choice, and this time, he's determined to make the right one.

A heavy sigh passed through Fuji’s lips as he was lowered into the bath. The warm water lapped tenderly against his skin, washing away the blood and semen and pain, along with Tezuka’s gentle, soaped up hands.

The faucet dripped rhythmically, splashing little drops into the bath, not completely shut off. Tezuka’s hands moved in and out of the water quietly, the gentle sound of lapping a familiar comfort in Fuji’s ears.

He’d been here before. 

There were other showers in the house, that he’d been allowed to use during his captivity. But he’d been to this one once before, the only bathtub, a well cleaned and cared for vintage piece of ceramic on little legs. It fit well with the western-style house, but not with his impression of Tezuka. 

He wondered how he’d forgotten it. But now he remembered…

_Tezuka had peeled the blood stained clothes off of Fuji, but there was still so much red running through the water in the bath. Yuuta’s blood, so much blood, all his life seemed to be there in the water._

_Fuji wasn’t crying. He couldn’t feel enough to do that. He was numb, both his body and his heart - even his thoughts had stopped. He didn’t think any more than he felt. His eyes were glazed and unfocused, he heard sounds as if through gauze._

_But Tezuka was talking, saying something. There was a look in his eyes, something Fuji was unable to see in his state of shock, but something he saw now that he looked back in his memories._

_It was the look of a man who wanted to cry, but didn’t know how._

_"I'm sorry…” Tezuka’s baritone voice was trembling. “I should have never taken Yuuta. I thought if I did, the elders would protect you... they wouldn't send you on any more missions like the masquerade. But I was so wrong... I never meant for this to happen. I'm sorry... Syuusuke..."_

The Fuji from that time hadn’t heard any of it, too empty to even remember. But Fuji now remembered.

He remembered the last time he was in this bathtub. He remembered Tezuka’s remorse. 

And for the first time, he remembered clearly what had happened that night.

Yuuta calmly stepping between him and Tezuka.

Yuuta reaching out with his hand, touching Fuji’s arm, and guiding the knife into his gut.

Yuuta smiling at him knowingly.

Tezuka had been just as shocked as he had. Just as shocked and upset. And Tezuka had the same expression now, of a man bearing the guilt of a thousand deaths, a thousand evils. 

Fuji raised both of his arms and placed his hands on Tezuka’s cheeks. Hazel eyes widened behind glasses, as the century old vampire froze in place.

“I forgive you,” Fuji whispered.

* * *

_I can’t play both sides,_ Tezuka thought, as he helped Fuji get dressed. _I’ll just get Syuusuke killed._

He felt another stab of guilt as he noticed how baggy Fuji’s uniform hung. The small brunette had already been thin, but in a healthy way - now he looked beyond scrawny. Tezuka shouldn’t have avoided him, he should have at least made sure Fuji was eating enough.

“You had my uniform dry cleaned,” Fuji chuckled softly, breaking the tension that lay heavily in the room. But he twinged in pain when trying to pull up his boxers, so Tezuka had him lay down and dressed the rest of his lower half. 

How could he explain himself, tell Fuji how conflicted he’d felt since Sakuno put her plan into place? He couldn’t do anything, but nervously tending to what few things had been confiscated from Fuji made him feel better… minutely, but it was better than nothing.

No, it wasn’t that he couldn’t do anything. He’d chosen not to. He’d chosen not to defy his siblings. He’d chosen not to admit his own feelings, to protect what he’d truly wanted to protect. All of this was his fault.

“Come on,” Tezuka nodded firmly, and lifted Fuji up bridal style. He knew he couldn’t take the car - he’d have to carry Fuji out of the woods. 

“Where…” Fuji hesitantly asked.

“Home,” Tezuka firmly replied. “Your home.”

For the first time in over a century, Tezuka was going to make things right.

* * *

Sakuno stood in the garden, surrounded by blooming flowers as pretty and innocent as she appeared herself. 

“Wait,” she said, smiling brightly at Tezuka as he stepped off the porch.

But unlike the delicate anemone that brushed at her skirt, Tezuka no longer saw the innocent sister he remembered from so long ago.

“Did you use your power on Keigo?” His voice cut coldly against the evening air.

“He was confused,” she said, tilting her head lightly to its side. "He wants to do what's best for you, Kunimitsu, as do I. But he doesn't understand what needs to be done. So I helped him understand." She held out her hands. "I want to help you, too."

Tezuka’s grip on Fuji tightened. The hunter was silent in his arms, but he could feel those thin fingers curl around his sleeves.

“I won’t allow you to touch me,” Tezuka replied, with more calmness than he felt. He was thankful when she didn’t move into the path, but allowed him to go by. At least she recognized she could not overcome his power, should he chose to use it.

But he’d barely reached the edge of the estate, when he realized she had other plans.

Crowded around the main road, nearly a dozen vampires stood waiting for them, their faces plastered with wide, jovial smiles.

* * *

“This is where we part ways,” said Sakaki, his tone calm.

Ryouma looked up at him, then over towards the expansive garden, which he could barely see through the thick barrier of trees. 

“You won’t get caught in the illusion as long as you keep your eyes on it,” Sakaki explained, even as he began to move away, walking perpendicular to Ryouma’s now set path. 

“What if it doesn’t work?” Ryouma asked with bated breath. They both knew he wasn’t talking about escaping the illusion.

“There’s only one other way to stop her,” Sakaki shrugged. He sounded sad - but then, Ryouma thought the curly haired stranger sounded sad from the first word he spoke.

Ryouma stared at the garden for a long moment, then turned his head to ask one more question - but Sakaki was already gone.

Trudging forward, Ryouma gritted his teeth. He was going to put an end to this.

* * *

“Lady Sakuno doesn’t want you to leave,” Yukimura smiled, standing directly in front of them on the path. Vampires flanked him left and right - a few were Atobe’s familiars that Tezuka recognized, a few others less vaguely he thought were from rebel clans. But there was at least one or two he thought were hunters from the organization. 

Sakuno had collected her minions craftily.

“Step aside,” Tezuka commanded. He knew it was futile, but he didn’t want to hurt them when they were being controlled like this. He’d realized they had to change from what they’d done for over a century… no more force. No more hurting and manipulating and killing. “Or I’ll make you.”

“All of us?” Yukimura chortled, raising an eyebrow incredulously. 

“. . . We’ve never fought before, you and I,” Tezuka realized. “You don’t understand.” He brought Fuji a little more firmly into his arms. “Hold on to me,” he whispered, and Fuji’s tiny hands wrapped around his sleeves.

The very air seemed to slow, and the leaves around them rustled in anticipation. Tezuka and Fuji’s hair rose as though an upward wind came upon them, and for that moment, for just the two of them, the world felt very light.

In a thick circle around them, space grew heavy. Leaves and dust slammed onto the ground. The soil began to lower, compress against itself, creating a dark ring. One by one, the vampires fell to their knees with an astonished yelp. Yukimura growled and clawed at the ground, but soon even his torso was pressed flat, as like the others, he became unable to lift even his fingers.

As for Tezuka and Fuji, they were floating.

Their hair, their limbs, their clothes, everything was light and floating and they were rising. Tezuka’s feet weren’t even touching the ground.

Fuji gasped in awe, and wrapped his arms around Tezuka’s neck, as if afraid to float away. He felt weightless in Tezuka’s arms, so the vampire tucked him even closer against his chest.

Then Tezuka began to walk.

They became more heavy with each step, but Tezuka could see the other vampires were too worn out, their muscles exhausted from trying to support themselves in the extreme gravity. Tezuka swiftly maneuvered around them, not wanting to see how long it would take them to recover. Even the nearby bushes and trees were pulled flat, leaves and branches crushed against the ground.

Usually, he only used his power to increase his speed and strength, while decreasing that of his opponent’s. But he’d always known he could do this. And since his opponents were all vampires, he knew they would heal easily and quickly. Even a human might suffer a few crushed bones, but be fine after a few months in casts.

He could still hear their indignant cries, but they were soon growing fainter. Having long learned how to walk through the illusion, he knew the forest edge was not far. And after only a few minutes, he could see the blinding light of the forest’s end.

And suddenly he was surrounded by the points of four swords.

“Wait!” cried Fuji, kicking a bit so that Tezuka lowered him to the ground. The four fully uniformed hunters stood tensely around them, glaring heavily at Tezuka as if daring him to try hurting Fuji.

Somehow the small brunette managing to stand on his feet without showing any pain, though Tezuka could smell fresh blood and knew Fuji’s wounds were bleeding again. 

“I know how this looks, but Tezuka is not the enemy,” Fuji spoke boldly, with a strong tone worthy of his title as heir to the Fuji clan. “I have used my powers to control him, and he helped me escape. He will do whatever he must to help me, from now on.”

Tezuka was impressed by Fuji’s exuding confidence, but from the looks on the hunters’ faces, it didn’t look like they were buying it. Tezuka recognized one of them as Commander Sanada, who from what Kaido and Momoshiro had reported, was well aware of the faults with Fuji’s ability. 

The Commander and Fuji locked eyes for several minutes, while the other three remained tense but ready to follow their commander’s lead.

The crashing of leaves broke the atmosphere and drew their attention back to the forest.

“I can’t let you leave,” called Yukimura, appearing from out of the illusion, with five more vampires gasping for breath behind him. Despite the sweat rolling down their strained faces, they were still all smiling. “Lady Sakuno will be so sad.”

“Seiichi,” the Commander breathed, his eyes going wide. His whole face fell, as his eyes grew moist and lips fell open.

“Sanada,” hissed Fuji. He sounded angry but Tezuka realized he was hiding his pain.

“Just go,” Sanada growled, his eyes never leaving Yukimura. “Tell me everything later.”

“Thank you. Let’s go,” Fuji grabbed Tezuka’s arm as if to lead him, but Tezuka could feel he was leaning on him for support. 

The other hunters quickly stepped between them and the enclosing vampires coming out of the forest. Tezuka was thankful they were quick on the uptake. 

They dashed into the nearest building, relieved to find the apartment complex lobby unlocked. The moment they were out of anyone’s sight, Fuji collapsed against him, grabbing his sleeves tightly in his hands and sobbing.

“Syuusuke. . .” Tezuka whispered, feel his breath leave him. The hunter pressed his face against his chest, but he could see it was scrunched up with pain. “I’m sorry…”

Fuji shook his head against Tezuka’s coat, but wrapped his arms around Tezuka and squeezed tightly.

Tezuka gently wrapped his arms around him and hugged back. 

_Even if it takes me my whole life, I’m going to make it up to you. Somehow. . ._

* * *

The garden grew high around him, making Ryouma feel like he was walking into Wonderland. He knew nothing about flowers, but the beautiful variety of colors and shapes was not lost on him, as he made his way through a small stone path. 

It was calm, not not entirely quiet. A gentle breeze wove its way amongst the overgrown shrubs, along with the buzzing of pollinators as they dashed between flowers. Ryouma thought he heard shouting, but it was faint and sounded distant. 

“I remember you.”

Ryouma swung around towards the soft girl’s voice, shocked that someone had come up from behind him.

“Ryuuzaki Sakuno,” he growled, grasping for his sword, then forcing his hand to relax as he remembered that wasn’t the weapon he needed to use. 

“The boy from the cemetery,” Sakuno continued, stepping out from a small path Ryouma hadn’t noticed on the side. In this part of the garden, the flowers rose above her head, leaves draping over her hair like a halo. “I didn’t know you were a hunter.”

Ryouma had been in casual clothes then, since they were investigating. But today he wore his full uniform, prepared for a confrontation. 

“I didn’t know it mattered,” Ryouma shrugged. He forced the tension from his muscles, which wasn’t as hard as it should have been, when he saw how small and innocent she looked, just as she had before. 

“It won’t, soon,” she smiled, raising up her arm, her hand reaching towards him.

Ryouma didn’t move. “Why did you hide for so long? You’re the last of the Ryuuzakis. The Families would have protected you.”

“Take my hand, and I’ll show you.” She uncurled her fingers, pointing up her palm. Her smile grew wide.

* * *

“Genichirou, if you don’t move, I will make you move.”

Seeing Seiichi in front of him, alive and breathing, was a miracle. Sanada wanted to run, to grab his lover in his arms, to swing him around and hug him and kiss him and love him till they lost the energy to move. 

But Seiichi had his claws out, long and hardened, and the weirdest smile on his face, and the emptiest eyes. The reunion, he knew, would have to wait.

Sanada had heard, from witnesses who’d been near the alleyways when the murders were committed, a complete description of his lover, right down to the soft, wavy blue hair. But the broad smile they’d described had been wrong. Seiichi did smile, but always softly, always lightly, like his sadness and bitterness that he tried to keep in just wouldn’t let him show total happiness. Even in their closest moments, Seiichi never looked like that - he couldn’t let go of all he’d lost.

But now Sanada understood what they’d meant. This was the smile of a madman - and the other five vampires wore the same thoughtless grin. 

They fanned out, but Sanada’s team reacted well, breaking out into formation. Niou and Yagyuu worked as a combo, while Kirihara move far out enough to fight solo, which was safer for the rest of the team. They were outnumbered, but all highly skilled, and Sanada knew Kirihara would more than make up for it with his ability. The real miracle would be if the curly haired hunter managed not to kill anyone. 

So it didn’t worry him that only two broke off to fight his doubles pair, while Kirihara was surrounded by three. Those three were the weakest of the bunch, anyway, as far as the Commander could tell. 

This way, he could face Seiichi one on one.

"Sorry, Genichirou," Seiichi drawled, his voice as happy as his smile, "I love you, but I have to kill you since you’re in the way."

Sanada replied by drawing his sword.

A frown settled briefly on Seiichi’s lips, as his eyes narrowed and he drew back into a fighting stance.

Then he charged.

Had Seiichi always been so fast? His claws clashed against Sanada’s sword, the hunter letting out a roar as he used every ounce of his strength to push the vampire away. Had Seiichi always had this strength? Had he been holding back, those times he and Sanada had fought, spared, the nights they spent together, the gentle hands Sanada remembered, so controlled.

It took all his concentration, every effort to keep up with the smiling being charging him. Yukimura's smile was not like that of a fighter. It was like a child's, happy as if he were playing a game. 

There was something different, too, about Seiichi's fighting style. Something missing. A fire... there had always been a fire, in Seiichi's stance, in his agility, in his eyes... that fierce determination, driven by pride and anger.

But this Seiichi didn't have it. He was faster, he was stronger, but he wasn't _strong_ , not like the Seiichi that Genichirou knew. 

Genichirou knew could beat him.

He slashed at Yukimura's legs, grunting at his small success when he managed a cut on the bluenette’s calf. He'd been afraid to hurt his Seiichi, but he knew the vampire would heal and he had to take advantage of that. He was fighting to win, but Seiichi was fighting to kill, and that disadvantage was too great for him to let anything by. 

He was shocked, then, when the wound don't heal, when instead Seichi fell, unable to balance with the wound in his leg. Sanada didn’t hesitate - he tackled the vampire and slammed him down onto the ground.

Seiichi looked up at him, blinking several times, then gasped, “Why isn’t it working?”

“I gain immunity to special abilities, the more I’m exposed to them,” Sanada grimaced. Ironically, he was the opposite of Fuji, who started out immune but lost that immunity rapidly the more time he spent with the ability’s owner. This was why Sanada had been selected to guard Yukimura in the first place. 

Seiichi’s smile returned in full force, and he looked completely merry as he begged, "Won't you let me go? I have to go bring back Fuji, for Lady Sakuno."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sanada could see his team had been successful at subduing the other vampires. Niou and Yagyuu were dutifully tying their two opponents to a tree, while Kirihara’s opponents were all moaning in pain on the ground, but that meant they were alive. They would sort through them later, once Sakuno’s power had worn off.

Sanada managed to wrestle Seiichi onto his stomach, while Niou made his way over. Once the bluenette realized he couldn’t escape, his body went limp, as if he had no motivation to even try and look for openings.

“Why’s he so cold?” Niou asked, as he helped Sanada tie the bluenette’s hands. Yagyuu went to help Kirihara. “The other guys aren’t like this.”

Sanada hadn’t noticed, but now that Niou said it, Seiichi _did_ feel cold… ice cold, and getting colder. The wound on his leg still wasn’t healing, and when his eyes fell closed Sanada realized he’d lost consciousness. 

Breath quickening, Sanada ripped off part of his shirt, and bandaged the cut. It wasn’t bleeding that much, but he had a bad feeling. 

“Hey,” Niou whispered, keeping his voice from their captives’ ears. “When do you think he last ate?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sanada growled, as he lifted the unconscious vampire into his arms. The others could wait - being tied up for a few hours until a clean up team got here wouldn’t kill them. “Let’s get him back to headquarters.”

It was going to be alright, he told himself. Fuji had escaped. He’d captured Seiichi. And… 

There was still the issue of Sakuno to deal with. But Ryouma had sent them a text, telling them he’d deal with it.

Sanada knew even if he split up his team, they’d never find their way through the illusion.

He’d have to trust the young hunter.

After all, wasn’t that why he’d accepted Ryouma into the organization, despite him being so young? 

_Echizen Ryouma, I’m counting on you._

* * *

Ryouma did reach out towards Sakuno, but not with his hand.

His mind pushed out with all his power, his ability to touch without touching, his ability to push her without their skin making contact.

He reached out toward her forehead, and it was there, just as Sasaki had said it was, he felt like he could see it, Yumiko’s curse - and he _pressed_ , and then…something happened.

Sakuno was fainting towards the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of artwork related to this chapter, but I can't post it yet. Spoilers still. So instead... here's some artwork that was drawn for the story but doesn't quite fit in anywhere.
> 
> ["Fuji Crying"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/15-001%20Fuji%20Crying_zpsotepo5w5.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka Bound"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/15-002%20Tezuka%20Bound_zpszbpj2avv.jpg)
> 
> Originally when Neu was imagining this story, there was a scene or at least an idea that Tezuka would be tied up by Atobe. I'm not sure if Atobe was doing this for while he sexed up Fuji, or if this was Atobe lusting for Tezuka. But I think this artwork fits in with the idea that Tezuka is doing a lot of the evil things only because he's following his siblings, Atobe and Sakuno - he's chained by his love and commitment to them, even though in his heart it's not what he wants. 
> 
> Errr anyway that's the excuse I'm making for throwing this artwork in here. ^^;; In the end, a scene where Tezuka was tied up never fit into the story.


	16. Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How a sweet, lovely girl becomes twisted, through blood and death.

Sakuno's life began as all lives do, with birth.

But unlike other lives, with her birth came death.

There was blood, so much blood, pouring from her mother as baby Sakuno finally slid from the womb. And the blood kept pouring, soaking up the sheets, pooling on the ground, till her mother’s life was no more.

The pools of her mother’s blood were as thick and red as the pools of her father’s blood, which had covered the fresh snow, only days before her birth. His body had been torn apart, by vampires or by hunters, no one knew. 

But there was enough of him left, that he and his wife were laid together in a grave. That was Sakuno’s first and last sight of them, hardly a day old, as the casket’s lid was placed and covered in dirt. 

But she wouldn’t remember it, couldn’t even understand it, and she forgot the blood, and the death. By the time she mumbled her first word, and tumbled down after taking her first step, she was a happy, glowing child, who loved her grandmother and danced and played in the sunlight.

Then when she was four, death came to her again.

* * *

A series of noises - clangs and bangs and bumps and shouting - woke her in the middle of the night. She looked over toward her grandmother's futon, but it was empty. Pushing herself up, she wobbled down the hallway towards where the noise had been, but already it had stopped.

She was old enough to know what blood was. She'd had some on her knees, from the times she'd fallen, and on her fingers, from the times she'd cut herself on things around the house. She knew it was blood covering the floor, splattered on the walls and ceiling, and all over her grandmother, who was slumped against the entry wall.

She was young enough not to be afraid of blood. It was sticky and smelled bad, but she didn't know what it meant for it to be everywhere like this. But it was just red liquid, like dirty water in a puddle.

What shook her to her core, what made her stomach churn and her mouth fall open, was the arm.

An arm lay on the ground in front of her grandmother. Even without looking at her grandmother's body, even without noticing the torn yukata sleeve with no limb coming through it, Sakuno knew it was her grandmother's arm. She recognized her grandmother's hand, those big, soft, warm fingers that had wrapped so kindly around hers, that palm that had rubbed her head and patted her back so many times. 

She was old enough to know it was abnormal, for an arm to be sitting by itself in a puddle of blood, for the flesh leading up to its edge to be marred and slashed and twisted. It had not been cleanly severed, not that Sakuno understood that, but the site of mutilated flesh was something she'd remember for the rest of her life.

A few days later, she was brought before the elders of the Ryuuzaki clan. They told her that the Yukimuras had murdered her grandmother. That even though she was only four, she could avenge her grandmother's death.

She didn't quite know what that meant, but it sounded like the right thing to do, especially from how the elders said it, so she agreed.

She would help them destroy the Yukimuras.

* * *

The elders made the arrangements. The Yukimuras adopted her with hardly a thought, as though they replaced Seiichi with her. It helped that she came from a very special bloodline - though many generations removed, she was still a direct daughter of Ryuuzaki Sumire. 

Sumire - her grandmother who had loved her, and cared for her, and taught her how to laugh and play, who had died in such a horrible way, who she would always remember and swore to avenge - was still helping her. 

But the elders had been foolish not to guess, not to expect that little Sakuno would fall in love with her new family, who also taught her how to laugh, who gave her two older brothers to play with her and love her and care for her. Who she came to love in return, along with her new parents, who cherished her as much as Grandmother Sumire had.

Sakuno had not forgotten the blood. She had not forgotten the mutilated arm. But she could not bare, when the Ryuuzakis approached her, to let her new family die. 

But they did die. They died in a horrible way, just as her beloved grandmother had. Betrayed, murdered… and she had known. She had known the Ryuuzakis were planning to kill them, and she had done nothing to stop it. She had run away with her brothers, letting them protect her, keeping them from protecting their own family.

And now they were all dead.

* * *

Fire. Heat and smoke. That was what woke Sakuno, as she pulled herself up in a daze.

The main house, where Keigo had run, was covered in flames. The world circled dizzyingly around her, but she thought she saw Kunimitsu lying on the floor. He wasn’t moving. He didn’t even look like he was breathing. Yumiko was there too, next to him, and she wasn’t moving either. But her eyes were open, staring blankly at nothing, along with her mouth.

More bodies, vampires and hunters, Ryuuzakis and Yukimuras, lay all around. Dead dead dead. 

The world circled faster.

Sakuno stumbled away. She couldn’t stand it any more. Why did her family have to die? First her grandmother. Now the Yukimuras. She was alone again.

The flames cast long, thick shadows everywhere. She thought she’d headed toward the road, but the world was still spinning, and all she saw were trees. She could make out where the fire was, from the red glow passing through the thick trunks, but she dared not head that way. Instead she stumbled onward.

Suddenly the trees cleared, and she slipped on wet stones and splashed into ice cold water. Currents raced around her, and she realized she was at the river. She’d only been here a few times with her brothers - they’d mostly stayed near the lake, banned from being this far downstream because of the strong currents. 

But she didn’t stop pushing forward. She welcomed the water, let it cover her, prayed it would wash away the smell of blood and ash that she felt she’d absorbed. She didn’t remember touching any blood, but its smell was still there, so strong, and it seemed to be getting stronger, and she just couldn’t stand it anymore.

She slipped, falling entirely into the water. 

She didn’t even kick as the currents swept her away. She was still disoriented. And her vision was starting to fade…. and then her consciousness…

* * *

Her eyes ached, but the light tugged them open. She blinked several times to adjust to the bright air, and took a deep breath before sitting up. A soft, warm blanket feel around her, and she was laid out on a bed that was equally soft. Someone had dressed her in pajamas she didn’t recognized.

Slowly she looked around at the small bedroom she was in. She guessed it was a girl’s bedroom, from the lace covered night stand and the baby doll sitting up on a chair. Large windows took most of two of the walls, the cause of her bright awakening. Beyond them she could see an herb garden, followed by rows of string beans. It was a very tiny farm, though, because trees rose up after that, the forest cutting off her view. 

She pulled herself off the bed, setting her bare feet on the light wood floor. Swinging her body around gave her a view of the door, and next to it, on a coat hanger, were her own clothes - wrinkled from being wet.

Memories from the night before slammed into her gut. The fire, the dead bodies, her brothers - oh god, Kunimitsu, was he dead?! - Yumiko certainly was. She couldn’t imagine any other outcome, than everyone who’d been there dying. 

She got back onto the bed, and wrapped the blanket around her. This was a such a calm, simple place. She tried to tell herself that it’d all been a dream, all the blood, all the violence, but her mind wasn’t fooled. If anything was a dream, it was this moment she was in right now. But she was sure she’d never seen a place like this before… 

She must have fallen asleep, because the door slamming open startled her awake.

“Oh no! Sorry, I didn’t mean to make all that noise!” came the loudest voice Sakuno had ever heard. A girl about her age, with her brown hair up in high pigtails, strode in from the doorway. Despite her apology, she grinned ear to ear. “Hi! I’m Tomoka! MOM, she’s awake!” 

Tomoka stuck her head out the door for this last shout, though Sakuno was sure Tomoka could be heard from anywhere in the house, no matter how big it was. But her cheerful smile was infectious, and Sakuno couldn’t help but smile a little in return. 

“I’m… Sakuno,” she said, trying to think of a fake name and failing. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Pretty girls like us gotta stick together,” Tomoka winked, grinning proudly. “Let’s go eat lunch! You slept through breakfast.”

Sakuno followed her.

* * *

The months that followed left her lightleaded and a bit giddy. She’d lived almost her entire life surrounded by people she was lying to. First the Yukimuras, always knowing what her mission was, then the small town where she’d hidden with her brothers.

But Tomoka Osakada and her family were different. Tomoka’s mom asked once, on that first day, what had happened to Sakuno’s family.

“They’re dead,” Sakuno whispered, forcing back tears. 

But then Tomoka had said, in her permanently loud voice, “See Mom, she can stay with us!”

And no more questions had been asked. The Osakadas gave her smiles, and her own room, and food and clothes, even though Sakuno learned that no one in this small town had much. The Osakadas were one of the wealthiest families, but relatively that meant very little. 

Eventually she learned that the townspeople were all well aware of the manor a few towns upstream, which had burned to the ground with all of its occupants. The rumors said no Yukimuras were left, and even the servants had died. Sakuno didn’t know what the Osakadas assumed, but they were overwhelmingly kind. They told the townspeople that Sakuno was their new daughter, gave her their own last name, and now she helped them in every way she could, tending to the garden and baking and cleaning. 

Everyone in the town welcomed her. Tomoka and she were the only unmarried woman just barely of marriageable age, and that made them popular. Not really with the boys their age, who were too busy playing with wooden swords and hunting in the woods and pranking each other, so much as those boys’ parents, who were constantly trying to make wedding arrangements. 

Sakuno would marry any of them, she realized one day. She had found her place in this town, this simple life. Here there were no vampires, no lies, no rich families with ridiculous life styles and traditions. She felt free from her family - the Ryuuzakis, the Yukimuras, even her brothers, who while she loved them, she’d always felt like a burden to. Here she was even better than Tomoka when it came to chores. She pulled her own weight and more, and within years she’d be married, and could give back to the Osakadas everything the’d given her.

She felt peace.

* * *

She headed home from the forest, a basket full of wild berries and mushrooms tucked in her arms, when she heard the screams. 

The berries smashed beneath her feet after she dropped the basket, and raced for the town. She smelled smoke, and memories of the burning manor flashed through her mind, making her run faster.

She reached the rows of string beans just in time to see a boy, one of her possible fiances, fall to the ground - and a huge, black claw retract from his blood covered back.

Her eyes followed the claw as it shrank back into a finger, until they met the red eyes of a grinning, shaggy haired man. He licked his lips as he sized her up.

“No…” she murmured, but her feet wouldn’t take a step back. She didn’t want to run, she wanted to fight. But she already knew she had no way to win.

It didn’t matter anyway. In a quick dash, he was already upon her - she never could have outrun him. 

“Ahhh!” She screamed as he grabbed one of her braids, and yanked her toward the house. She could see the fire now, from the neighbors’ barn across the way. They must have lit it themselves, trying to fight the vampires. But one of those vampires was coming out of their house, blood dripping off his hand.

They must have been a whole family. 

She didn’t get to see any more of the town, and she didn’t want to, as she was dragged into her own front door. The door was off its hinges.

Tomoka’s father was inside, face down on the floor, a shot gun clutched in his hands.

Sakuno couldn’t tell how he died, but he was pale enough she could take a guess. The house was silent, and she realized, the town now, too. Those who had been screaming before were no longer. 

Another vampire, with a long beard, was bent over in the living room. Tomoka was beneath him, but not a word came from her mouth. It hung open along with her dilated eyes. 

The man’s head dipped down, his lips clasping her throat. Her legs bent out to the sides, and the vampire was thrusting slowly, making her slide up and down. 

Sakuno couldn’t think about it though, as she was thrown to the ground.

Her head slammed onto the wood, but she was too numb to care. The shaggy haired man ripped apart her skirt and lowered himself down. She didn’t even scream as he tore open her hymen, hardly registering the flashing pain as her mind went white.

With each thrust came a light banging of her heels against the wood. He bent down, his scruff scratching at her skin, as he bit into her neck. The bearded man was done - he stepped over Sakuno and her captor, licking a trickle of blood off his chin, then left.

_This always happen to me, > she thought. _My parents died, then my grandma. Then the Yukimuras and my brothers, and now…__

Sakuno knew the shaggy one had only just started. For a lone vampire to drain someone of their blood to their death would take hours. But she was bleeding between her legs, so maybe it wouldn’t be that long. The man kept pausing, though, to thrust vigorously into her. She wanted him to hurry up, so that she would die.

_Everyone who becomes my family dies._

She didn’t really want to die, she realized. What she really wanted was for these men to die. She wanted them to suffer, the same was she was suffering. She wanted them to watch their own family die. She thought of her grandmother, and she wanted them to die like her grandmother had. With blood all over the walls, torn into pieces. She thought of her grandmother’s arm, cut off and mutilated. She wanted it to be slow, and painful. Not just physically, but emotionally too.

The thought made her laugh.

“What?” The vampire looked up, startled. She smiled at him, as she imagined him getting torn apart, by his own family. She raised her hand, fearless as she was already dying, and touched his cheek, imagining it splattered with blood. He stared at her in confusion, so she cupped it in her hand, her imagination carrying her away.

“I . . .” His forehead wrinkled, his eyes grew wide in horror, and he gently pulled out of her, his lips slightly trembling. “Oh...oh god, what have I done…”

Sakuno blinked in confusion. He was no longer holding her down, so she tried to sit up, but a wave of pain and anemia flooded her and she fell back. But he caught her before she hit the wood, cradling her in his arms… as though she were precious to him. “Oh no… I’m so sorry… of course you wouldn’t want this… of course…”

He looked traumatized, and about to panic. “I’ll… I’ll save you… I know just what do!” He extended a claw, and sliced deep into his right arm, the same one her grandma had lost. “Please, please work,” he whispered, as he held it up over her, and let the blood drip onto her lips.

He held her close, and she squeezed his hand, as the pain of the transformation took its course. But once it was over, she felt renewed, and a sense of understanding, too.

“Tell me what I can do to atone, sweet lady,” the vampire moaned, glossy eyed. “Please… I’ll do whatever you want.”

She smiled at him, and held his hand. Something was flowing from her bare skin to his, a feeling, an energy, and along with her new vampiric strength, she felt strong for the first time. 

“But I have so much that I want,” she cooed, and thought of the bearded vampire who’d killed her friend. She thought of the Ryuuzakis, who had forced her to do so much. She thought of the Echizens and the Fujis, who had done nothing while the Yukimuras were killed. She remembered the Yukimuras who had tried to kill her. “So much. . .”

She closed her eyes and her imagination filled with all their blood. “I suppose I have time now,” she smiled, feeling the last of her wounds close. “Let’s start with your family, shall we?”

“That would make me so happy, my lady,” the man smiled. This smile was not the bloodthirsty grin from before, but that of a puppy ready to please.

Sakuno changed quickly into a new dress - the lacy white one she’d worn on her birthday, for her formal introduction to the town boys. Then she took the vampire’s hand, feeling the energy move from her, and they exchanged happy smiles.

“I’ve come up with a plan,” she announced. And together, they stepped out the door.

* * *

The vampire family that destroyed the Osakadas’ town numbered about three dozen. She enjoyed her time with them, having the shaggy haired man drag each of them away, then converting them one by one to her pawns. When she controlled more than half of them, she introduced herself to the group. Some fawned on her, while others were weary. She converted all but three of the weary ones, and enjoyed taking her place as matriarch of the little family.

They became her family, which meant they would die.

She let them tear apart the remaining three, slowly and violently, let them bleed out for days. All the other ones smiled at her, all the time, and it was wonderful. She didn’t kill them just yet. There was a war going on, she learned, and new vampires were being born every day. Even this little group had come out of that war - unrestrained by the weakened hunters, they’d become more and more brazen, to the point where they’d feast on whole villages. 

She used them for a while. Had them bring her other vampires, or approached them herself, and brought more under her control. She got used to her power, understood it through instinct and experiment. Eventually she had all those from the original family die - had all her followers make a circle and watch as they fought each other, grins on their faces, to the death. Sometimes she’d let the spell wear off, before letting them be murdered. She enjoyed seeing the realization, the horror and the terror as the impact of all they’d done under her control filled them. 

She kept making new families, knowing that whoever became her family would die. She used them to hunt the last of the Ryuuzakis, making sure no one was left. She learned from the elders, as she tortured the last of them, that her grandmother had not been murdered by the Yukimuras, but by order of the elders themselves. They had already planned to use her as a spy, but Sumire had refused to let them. So they’d had the ancient vampire killed, and used their own misdeeds to manipulate Sakuno. 

She’d been right - they couldn’t just die, that was too simple. They needed to suffer, too. She watched the last of them burn with glee, making sure each had their right arm torn off first.

Decades passed, and she learned her brothers were still alive. Alive, and fighting their own sort of war. She let them be. They weren’t her real brothers, which was good, she decided. If they were, they would certainly die. 

But then she learned they were responsible for the vampire war, which had caused the Osakadas to die. And the last of her feelings grew numb.

She could no longer smile, not really, not more than a little, so the vampires around her smiled even more brightly to make up for it. Seeing their cheerful faces, and imagining their imminent horrible deaths, made her feel something which she supposed was happiness. She never created vampires. These had all become vampires before she met them. She figured they all deserved to die.

She decided the old vampires needed to go first. She killed the survivors of the vampire war - Nanjiroh was the last. But there were still so many vampires and hunters left. So many that were responsible. And her power wore off if she didn’t constantly renew its effects. 

So she started to plan. She gathered spies, which was far too easy, and eventually, learned about the weapon. She learned about Fuji Syuusuke, about his blood which vampires would die for. Maybe even kill each other for.

And now she knew what she needed to do, to make them all suffer. All of them.

* * *

Sakuno collapsed on the ground, sending petals up in a flurry as she broke apart many flowers in her fall. 

Ryouma’s heart raced as he moved towards her slowly, his eyes never leaving her face as he watched for signs that she might be awake. He could see her chest rise and fall, but he knelt down anyway to check for a pulse, and was relieved to find one. 

_She’s been feeding well,_ he thought to himself. He checked his own emotions - no stupid grin or feelings of unwarranted loyalty - so it didn’t seem like her power had affected him. He doubted it could be used unconsciously - there were very few powers like that, with Fuji being one of the unlucky few. 

It was hard to believe that this frail looking girl had killed his father. He felt a wave of anger, but that was overtaken by pitty. She had been a normal girl by all historical accounts, so for her to be this twisted now… he wondered what had messed her up. Her power alone would mess anyone up. How could you form real relationships, when you knew everyone around you only liked you because of your ability? 

There’d be no one around her to tell her she was wrong, to discipline her and show her her mistakes. Everyone around her would agree with whatever she wanted. She was a spoiled child, but whatever it was she really wanted, she’d never gotten it. He knew because he was the same way.

He waited several more minutes to be sure she wouldn’t wake up, before scooping her up. He didn’t know what would happen to her once he brought her back to headquarters. He wondered if it would bring him closure.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling that it wouldn’t, because something was still wrong.

* * *

Sakaki strode into the mansion, sighing internally at all the changes the twins had made over the years. He supposed he had no right to complain, when he’d never used the living place much, and hadn’t stayed it in for a few decades before. 

He heard banging up stairs, so up stairs he headed. As if on cue, Keigo crashed backward into a nightstand right as he came into sight, and slid down along the wall, grinning and laughing. Then he pulled himself up with a hand against the drywall, moving and gurgling like a drunkard. 

“You!” Keigo laughed, and pointed at Sakaki in a way that would have been accusing, if he didn’t keep laughing and looking away. “I spend a century trying to contact you, and now,” he banged against a window sill for no discernable reason, “you show up when I’m having” - he ahemed, for emphasis - “a moment.” 

“You’re the only one I’ve ever seen fight off her power,” Sakaki stated with a raised eyebrow. He supposed it just proved the strength of Keigo’s absurdly strong pride.

“Because _I_ ,” Keigo placed a hand dramatically on his chest, “know what will _really_ make Sakuno happy. And I wanted her to be happy even before she _made_ me want her to be happy. So I’m going to do what will _really_ make her happy rather than what she _thinks_ will make her happy and then we’ll all be happy and it’ll all be thanks to me.” 

He looked like he was about to blubber more, but Sakaki grabbed him and dragged him down the hall. “You can do that once you’re no longer sick.”

“Why are you here again? Didn’t I ask you that? Even if I didn’t ask you directly, you should have told me,” Keigo huffed. At least now he was walking straight.

“Because I...” a thousand reasons flashed through Sakaki’s mind, and he tried to pull out the biggest one. “... because I didn’t want to avoid you forever. And now you need my help.”

“I always manage just fine,” Keigo retorted childlishly. Thinking and talking about anything but Sakuno would help him get over her spell faster, so that was good.

“You always manage alone, despite being surrounded by people who could help you,” Sakaki replied sharply.

“How would you know,” Keigo snapped. Sakaki could hear the accusation after it - _when you abandoned me after turning me._ Or maybe that was his guilty conscious adding on words.

“. . . I always watched you,” Sakaki admitted. “But I didn’t want to get involved. But everything is about to change, so I have to step in now, so that you’ll live.”

“Thanks?” Keigo groaned. He was definitely using his pride and anger to fight off Sakuno’s influence. She hadn’t been able to spend much time deepening his conversion to her will, but even a simple touch would normally last a few days. Sakaki had studied her for decades, so he knew.

“Thank me later, after I’ve actually helped you.” Sakaki dragged him into the woods - it’d be a long walk still to his car. He’d beat the organization’s sweepers though, which was what mattered. 

Keigo tugged at his hand, forcing them to stop. “Wait wait wait, there’s something I should do right now, while I’m really messed up and have that for an excuse,” Keigo grinned like he was the most clever person in the world. Then he grabbed the back of Sakaki’s head with his free hand, and landed his lips against the blond’s, kissing him deeply.

They pulled apart after several seconds, leaving Sakaki with a scowl and Keigo with a satisfied grin. “I kept thinking I should have done that after you turned me,” Keigo sounded loopy, but it sounded a little bit faked. He winked, and Sakaki sighed, and took the proud man’s hand in his own as they walked quickly through the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one artwork for this chapter...
> 
> ["Sakuno Sleeps"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/16-001%20Sakuno%20Sleeps_zpsnqijgnz0.jpg)


	17. Aura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yukimura awakens, Sakuno forgets, and Momoshiro remembers

_Seiichi could feel the blood leaking from his body, out into the icy waters of the lake. He could hear Sanada’s roar, the crunch of boots as his lover and Atobe flew away into the woods, their battle continued._

__Genichirou will be okay _, he told himself, as his eyes slowly closed. It was all he could hope for, in his final moment, that Sanada would have the power to fight, or that Keigo would spare him. His cousin owed him that much._

_He was happy, he realized, that he’d spent his last days with his lover. That he’d even had a lover, felt that kind of happiness, was too good for someone like him. He’d failed again and again, in the vampire war, and now, to meet the expectations of those around him._

_Despite his failures, the Families had survived, and formed the organization they were now. They were still protecting both vampires and humans. He hoped that, in the past months, he’d contributed a little to that. He believed he’d made Sanada as happy as Sanada had made him. And he knew the hunter would learn to live without him._

_He breathed out the last of his oxygen into the water. Vampires didn’t need to breath, but their bodies did so as they were formed. Seiichi imagined he was still human, that he’d never been turned. That he had been born in this era, grew up with Genichirou, that they’d had a normal life together, and now he was dying a normal human death of old age. It was funny, that these were his last thoughts. He thought he was supposed to see his life flash before his eyes, but instead he was daydreaming._

_The world was so dark._

_Then someone pulled him from the water._

_They pulled him by the feet, dragging him up, and turned him over. Something warm dripped onto his lips, and then flesh pressed against his mouth. His instincts took over, and he drank for his very life._

_He forced his eyes open once he had the strength. The ice which had been blocking his wounds was melting, and a man was wrapping his wounds, keeping him from bleeding out what he’d just taken in. A second man was pulling him up, and giving him more blood, not from himself but from a third man, one who was completely limp and looked familiar…_

_“Nanjiroh!” Seiichi cried, jerking up as he realized whose blood he was drinking. But then a girl, who he hadn’t noticed, took his hand, and he felt himself calm down._

_“Hello, Seiichi,” she said with a small, dainty smile. The longer she held his hand, the better he felt. He no longer worried about Nanjiroh, whose left arm was running out of blood, and whose right arm was cleanly cut off. He only wondered about the pretty, smiling girl who he felt wanted Nanjiroh to die. And if Nanjiroh died, she would be happy._

_Her being happy was good._

_“It’s so beautifully ironic,” she said, as her and the other men carried him into the wood. “Only a true blood vampire can be revived like this, and only by another with very special blood.” She gave a long, happy sigh. “Before, a Fuji with very special blood was used. And now, another true blood vampire._

_“I’ve been hunting Nanjiroh for so long. But he never left any openings, not until you came along.” A fourth man joined them, holding a boomerang, and wearing a big, jovial grin. They were all grinning, Seiichi realized. Even he started to grin, feeling the joy of how happy this girl holding his hand was, how happy he was that he made her happy. After all, it was thanks to him that Nanjiroh was dead._

* * *

Seiichi woke up slowly, his eyelids fluttering as he adjusted to the light. He knew these white sheets, these white walls, the familiar insignias framed next to the doorway. And he knew those big hands, that grasped his own. 

On his lap lay Sanada’s head, the Commander bent over from the chair next to the bed and sleeping peacefully. The bluenette tried to pull himself up, but he felt numb and didn’t have the energy to move. His head fell back against the pillow, and he caught sight of the IV drip, slowly bringing him blood and bringing him back to life. He prayed no one had died again, for his sake, but then he remember this was the organization’s infirmary, and they had bags upon bags of blood stored in their refrigerators. 

“Seiichi!” Sanada woke with a start, and their eyes met. “... I’ll call Oishi,” the Commander mumbled, but Seiichi grabbed hold of his hand.

“Please,” Seiichi’s voice cracked, frail and small in his own ears. “I need a moment.”

Sanada stopped, and slowly leaned down. He lifted Seiichi up into a hug, careful not to tangle the IV, and rubbed the back of Seiichi’s head, letting his face press against the hunter’s shirt. 

“I killed my friends,” he choked weakly, as Sanada rubbed his hair. Jackal and the other hunters who had died because of his power flashed across his eyes. “I killed my friends,” he repeated, voice shaking as his eyes welled. He’d only cried once in his life that he could remember, and that was only because of Sakuno’s control, when he had no real emotions of his own. 

“You didn’t kill them,” Sanada said calmly. “You punctured their wrists, but not into any arteries. You didn’t drink from them, or from anyone, since you were captured.” 

“That was all I could do,” Seiichi whimpered. “I couldn’t fight her control, but I knew if I stopped drinking, I’d be too weak for her to use me.”

“You’re the only one we know of who managed even that,” Sanada spoke softly. 

They hugged for a long time, until Seiichi stopped crying. It was over, it had to be over… right? But he’d been fighting so long...

“How long have I been….”

“Five days.”

_And you’ve been here the whole time?!_ he opened his mouth to ask, but didn’t. This was Sanada, his stubborn idiot Genichirou. Of course he’d been.

“And what happened with… everyone.”

“We’re all safe,” Sanada smiled, and lay him back down on the blankets. He moved to change the IV, which had run out while they were hugging. “Ryuuzaki Sakuno…. it’s complicated, but you don’t have to worry about her. It’s really Atobe -” he snorted, disgust twisting up his face. “That guy, the nerve! He walks in like he’s going to surrender, then declares he’s there to negotiate.”

“Oh?” Seiichi felt his curiosity peak, wondering what his trouble-making cousin was up to.

“He demanded a position on the Council, in return for delivering information on the rebels. As if he’d been a spy for us all along,” Sanada spat. “You should have seen him, in the center chair below the council, with his legs crossed and perked up like he was the one in charge! And you won’t believe this - _they agreed_.”

Seiichi’s mouth dropped open a little, then he sighed. He supposed he should expect no less from Keigo. “There must have been some conditions.”

“Just one,” Sanada growled, his eyes darkening. “That he drink Fuji’s blood.”

“. . . Syuusuke was okay with that?” Seiichi said after a moment, thinking of all the lithe brunette had confided in him.

“Syuusuke’s been an angel of obedience since he got back,” Sanada sighed. “It was actually only Tezuka who objected. But Tezuka objecting made Atobe curious, or something like that, and then he didn’t just agree - he insisted.”

“Of course Keigo would want whatever Kunimitsu had,” Seiichi murmured, smiling a bit as he remembered their childhood. “So then, what about Kunimitsu? The Council thinks having the twins cursed by Syuusuke’s blood is enough?”

“Apparently…” Sanada grimaced. “Tezuka and Fuji have been quiet for the most part, keeping to themselves. After Tezuka brought Fuji back - and actually did surrender - they’ve been at each other’s side every moment. And Tezuka’s already begun feeding Yanagi with information. As we suspected, Tezuka has a human associate who’s been handling the twins’ finances, and who’s now working with Yanagi. They’ve completely hit it off, it’s disturbing.”

Humming thoughtfully, Seiichi rubbed his hair against the pillow, trying to take it all in. He wondered where his place in all of this was.

“I just can’t believe this,” Sanada growled, clenching his fist and glaring at the door. “How could they just forget everything the twins have done?! Instead they’re blaming Ryuuzaki Sakuno for anything nasty. She was manipulating things behind the scenes for nearly a century, but I don’t believe for one second she was responsible for everything.”

“I know….” Seiichi murmured, thinking of his family and friends who died in the war. “The elders must have something in mind.”

“Exactly. That’s what Echizen Ryouma is out to investigate.”

“Ryouma?” A memory of Nanjiroh, proudly showing a picture of his son flashed through his mind. “Nanjiroh’s son…”

“Yeah…” Sanada shrugged. “I have a lot to fill you in on.”

“We have time,” Seiichi smiled, and squeezed Sanada’s hand. 

They had all the time in the world.

* * *

Fuji held Tezuka’s hand, or maybe Tezuka was holding his, as they walked through the park. 

It was beautiful today. 

It felt like a first date. It was awkward, but comfortable at the same time. Fuji felt like Tezuka had always been at his side, yet he couldn’t forget everything that had happened. He’d decided to make a clean slate - to forget the good and bad, and start seeing who Tezuka was starting now. 

He’d realized that was the best thing to do, after watching what happened to Sakuno.

“They’re there,” Tezuka nodded, at some figures up the hill. They headed up as one of the figures headed down, and Echizen Ryouma gave a knowing smirk at seeing them holding hands, before saluting in casual greeting.

“This way, sempai,” the young hunter tilted his head, and they walked back up the hill. Fuji could see a few other hunters lingering around, but keeping their distance. _Some extra security,_ he thought, nodding slightly to acknowledge them.

Once at the top of the hill, they had a beautiful view of a field of flowers. Poppies and clovers and a mixture of other wildflowers coated the ground, forming a carpet for their single occupant. With her skirt ruffled around her, and the flower crown on her head, Ryuuzaki Sakuno looked even younger than her size. 

She looked up at them and smiled, then went back to knotting clovers together, forming another crown. 

“Oi Sakuno,” Ryouma called, getting the girl’s attention. “This is my friend, Syuusuke.”

Sakuno stopped her crafting, and looked up at Fuji shyly. “Hi,” she said, biting her lower lip.

“And this is…” Ryouma eyed Tezuka with a bit of a glare.

“Kuni…. Tezuka Kunimitsu,” Tezuka said firmly. Sakuno blinked at him a few times, so he added, “I met your grandmother when I was very young.”

“You know Granma?” The girl jumped up excitedly, startling the small white moths that had settled around her. She beamed expectedly, her hesitation gone as she headed over to them.

“I was even younger than you when I met her, so I don’t remember well,” Tezuka said honestly. 

She seemed a bit disappointed, but then her eyes lit up. “You were four? Granma likes four. I’m _five_.” She seemed so proud of herself, but was so awkward in her body, which was still that of a young lady’s. “I know, I’m not five now! Ryouma says so.”

“You told her?” Syuusuke looked at Ryouma, who shrugged.

“Better to just be honest, before she hears it from someone else,” Ryouma reasoned. “She already speaks and moves way better than a five year old, and she’s learning too fast. Her therapist says her muscle memory is helping.”

“Did you tell her about…” Tezuka paused, wondering if they should move to another place. Sakuno was staring up at him with big marble eyes like he was some sort of comrade. 

“Yes, Sakuno, you know your Grandmother died a long time ago,” Ryouma said calmly.

Sakuno pouted and looked at the ground. “I don’t believe you,” she said, crunching the flower crown in her hand. She turned around and went back to the field, headed toward the far edge. Syuusuke could see other hunters tracking her there.

“Still no signs of her powers,” Ryouma reported, once she was out of earshot. “Her memory stops just before her grandmother’s death, we’re sure of that.”

Syuusuke glanced around for a second to see where the other hunters were, before lowering his voice. “And the books?”

“They exist,” Ryouma replied in equally quiet tones. “My stupid dad copied enough pages that I could figure that out. His diary makes a lot more sense with those as a reference, but I’m still finding where he hid them. I think there are 12 volumes...or maybe 13.”

Twelve volumes of prophecies, written by Fuji Yumiko and the seers who’d come before her. Thick books the elders had, that spelled out what was to come and what actions they needed to take. Though if Ryouma’s theory was right, there were hidden volumes, at least one, that only the Fuji family had read. 

Echizen Nanjiroh had figured most of it out, and Ryouma pieced the rest together. The Fuji family hadn’t caused everything, but they had known about much of it. They could have, at any time, stepped in with their knowledge and put a stop to so much death and suffering. But they didn’t, because Yumiko had spelled out a future, one where the Fuji family thrived, and remaining passive was a huge part of getting there. 

From the pages Nanjiroh had copied, the predictions were vague and hard to understand. Some council meetings simply involved the elders going back and forth on what a passage meant, and what action they were supposed to take. Nanjiroh had written down as much of the passages he could remember, and copied pages whenever he got to look directly at a volume. 

It explained, at least, why the elders had been so calm during Yuuta and Syuusuke’s abductions, and was probably why they were willing to accept the twins now. They knew something, and Fuji was afraid if they didn’t figure out what it was, Tezuka would suffer for it. 

“I’ll keep searching on my end,” Fuji nodded. They all believed the Fuji family had most of the volumes, which put him in the right position to find them. But the fact that his family hadn’t shared them with him yet, or even hinted at their existence, made him think they were being especially hidden from him. Nanjiroh’s journal hinted, during the trials with Syuusuke’s blood, that Syuusuke seemed to be a central player in Yumiko’s visions.

“How’s Momo?” Ryouma asked a little louder, as Sakuno was coming back towards them, along with the other guards.

“He’s out of medical, so we’re going to see him after this,” Syuusuke smiled. Momo’s health was one of the first thing he and Tezuka shared a moment over. Momo, at some point, had become family for both of them.

“Did they find out what happened to him?”

“It seems his power and Sakuno’s didn’t mix,” Syuusuke frowned, making sure the girl was still out of earshot. “Her power made those under its control want to make her happy. Usually, that meant doing whatever she said, since then she’d smile. But Momo could _see_ she wasn’t really happy, so he kept trying to do things he thought would _truly_ make her happy. She couldn't stand it, so she ordered him to lock himself up and stay out of her sight. He did, and her power wore off, but then he was trapped there… well, he’s already eaten enough to make up for it, according to Oishi. And he wasn’t nearly as bad as Seiichi.”

“Oh yeah, I got Yanagi’s text, that Seiichi’s awake,” Ryouma said, now that he knew his friend was okay.

“Yes, but we agreed that Sanada gets to spend the first day alone with him.” Syuusuke’s smile turned a bit strained, as he thought of his two friends. There was a point he’d thought Sanada would kill himself if Seiichi didn’t make it through. But Oishi assured them that Seiichi would be fine, given enough time and quality blood. Both Tezuka and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Atobe had volunteered, along with a few other true bloods, which apparently made a difference. 

“. . . The text said Seiichi wanted to meet me,” Ryouma looked a little bothered. “And that Seiichi knew what happened to Dad.”

They all knew who was responsible, whether or not Ryouma heard the details.

“Are you sure you want to keep her as your ward?” Syuusuke looked over at Sakuno, who had started plucking petals off flowers. 

“I feel responsible,” Ryouma shrugged. “I don’t think of her - this five year old her - as the one who murdered my dad. And they want to keep a telekinetic near her, in case her power starts up again. Good to have someone who can restrain without touching. I seem to be it nowadays.”

“If you need anything,” Tezuka nodded gravely. “She’s my responsibility too. I understand the Council wants Keigo and I to keep our distance, and after learning all she’s done, I agree with them. But I’m sure there are still ways I can help.”

“Sure,” Ryouma said, while staring at Sakuno. She was watching a large butterfly, trying to keep herself entertained.

Tezuka and Fuji strolled away as quietly as they came.

* * *

Momo set down his hamburger when he saw his master’s aura come into view. 

“Yo, boss! And uh, boss?” He gave a cheeky grin, which didn’t have much impact with the ketchup on his cheek. Tezuka narrowed his eyes at it, so Momo took the hint and wiped it off.

“So…” Momo rocked back and forth, looking a bit nervous. “Have you told Fuji about the whole… you know… everything?”

Fuji and Tezuka exchanged looks, before both turning to stare at him. “We’re taking things slowly,” Fuji murmured. 

Momo could tell by the black little stream in Fuji’s aura that this was a sore spot, but his master wasn’t really mister explain-the-world-away. But he knew this was the right way to go. Tezuka had a lot to admit to, and most of it would be unbearable for Fuji. But Momo could see the lithe hunter wanted to make things work… for the sake of his feelings, that grew stronger every day.

“Well, this is more of my thing, then…” Momo rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Mas… Tezuka, I need to talk to Syuusuke about Yuuta.”

Auras were a funny thing. Tezuka’s expression didn’t change, but Momo could see the fear and uncertainty that flared up around the bespectacled vampire. Still, today’s Tezuka had a beautiful aura - the soft tones of love he always covered with guilt and hesitation were glowing strong. 

Fuji’s lip was trembling, his face just as telling as his aura. Momo liked that about his boss - even though Fuji tried to bury his emotions, he never really could. His actions always matched how he felt, and very few were that way.

“This is really something just for Fuji, so, you two keep taking it slow, k? I just… need this for me.”

Tezuka was still worried, but his hesitation dimmed. He nodded and stepped away. Momo could see him duck just outside the building, where he’d wait as long as need be.

“Uh… oh man, I hate awkward,” Momo grumbled. 

“Momoshiro,” Fuji sighed, and sat down on a cafeteria stool. “My bother’s dead. There’s nothing you can tell me that would hurt me more.”

“Oh, then this is good cause I hope it’ll make you feel better,” Momo smiled a little, then sat down across from him. “Err, except the part where I served under you for like a year and didn’t tell you. Okay let’s just skip that part, I mean, I was under Tezuka’s orders anyway so-”

“What?” Fuji snapped. Momo didn’t need to read auras to see he’d started something bad.

“I just mean - oh man, I wish Master would just tell you everything,” Momo rubbed his fingers together nervously. “Not that he’s hiding anything! He just isn’t a talker. I mean… well, I only touched the blood on that knife cause Master told me too. Actually, he ordered me to cut you with it in the first place. He really, really worried about you - he already loved you then, he won’t admit it, but you know my powers, so believe me? - uh, anyway, he wanted both me and Kaidoh to watch you. Watch over you really. The curse was a perfect excuse.”

“. . . I did start to realize that,” Fuji sighed. Tezuka had dropped clues here and there. It was only because Fuji felt genuinely safe with Tezuka and his offspring that he ignored the signs and trusted them. “But that was after Yuuta...”

“Oh yeah! Sorry, this is a hard for me too.” Momo grimaced. “The thing is… I was the one to take care of Yuuta when he was… well, our prisoner. I didn’t have anything against him - he was such a good guy - and Tezuka wanted to take care of him. I know it’s gonna sound dumb, but Tezuka felt he was protecting Yuuta. I don’t know what he was _thinking_ of course, but I’m telling you, that was how he felt. So I tried to do whatever I could… well that’s all just an excuse.”

* * *

At first, it was just a chore. One more task from his convoluted master, who refused to admit his feelings.

Momo went down the steps into the basement, the paper bag in hand. He didn’t need to read auras to know the prisoner was angry - the loud banging gave that away.

_Bang. Bang. Bang. Smack._

Yuuta yelled in frustration that the metal door hadn’t given away under his fist, and turned his back to it, collapsing against the wall.

“Hey,” Momo called, as softly as he could, which wasn’t soft at all.

Yuuta was up in a flash, glaring at him like he was trying to turn him to stone with his mind. 

“I brought you lunch?” Momo tried to hold up the bag like a peace offering. He was used to seeing people angry and hateful and vengeful, but he hated when all that was directed at him. “If you don’t like hamburgers, I’ll go get you something else.”

“How bout the key, dumbass,” Yuuta growled. Momo had to give it to this kid - he felt lots of things, but fear wasn’t one of them. It was good to be young.

“At least eat the burger while it’s hot,” Momo wrinkled his brow to look more sincere. He was a sincere, friendly guy, but he knew better than anyone how important it was to wear your emotions on your face. He always over expressed his, for those who didn’t have his power, which was everyone. 

He knew it was the key to being happy.

“You really think I’m hungry asshat?” Yuuta kicked the door separating them. 

Come to think of it, this young Fuji was pretty good about not keeping anything in. Momo started to like him.

“If you eat, you’ll have strength. And strength is good, if you want to get out,” Momo reasoned. He tried strengthening his big eyed puppy dog look.

“Don’t mock me,” Yuuta snorted. But then he reached through the bars and grabbed the bag. “I’ll eat it, but just because I’m bored.”

The kid wasn’t lying. Momo had lived long enough to recognize boredom, though it had been one of the last aura strands he figured out. But it was a weird one, because other emotions would coat over it, and it would roll around like a marble in a jar. 

“I’ll think about that,” he promised, not that his words meant anything. “You wanna order dinner? I mean it - anything you want.”

Yuuta hid behind the wall, not answering, until he finished his sandwich. It was only when he realized that Momo was still there that he spoke. “Filet mignon. Medium rare - more on the rare side, and a baked potato with sour cream and onions, and steamed carrots. Put the sour cream and onions on the side so I can put on only as much as I like. …. And pie. Pumpkin pie. And I want everything warm. This hamburger is seriously almost chilled.”

“Civilization’s a little ways away,” Momo grumbled, but he couldn’t blame the kid for giving him a hard time. He deserved it. “Okay, I promised you whatever you want, so I’ll figure it out.”

He couldn’t do anything about his Master’s feelings, about the decisions that would ultimately hurt him. But if his Master ever wanted Fuji Syuusuke’s love in return… well, Momo would try to at least keep the little brother from hating them. Maybe when Tezuka finally figured it out, and they released Yuuta back to his family, Yuuta would say nice things. Or at least not horrible things about isolation and torture.

Deciding that was the best he could do, Momo took the paper bag with its trash and headed up the stairs, thinking of where he could go to buy a steak.

* * *

“Uh… it’s my first time cooking a steak, but I think it came out pretty good!” Momo smiled as wide as he could, while knitting his brows humbly as he presented the tray full of hot food. He was glad he’d thought to buy a tray, amongst other things, while he was out. 

He could see a bit of shock and disbelief in Yuuta’s aura, though not as much as he’d expected. Yuuta hadn’t been trying to hassle him, or he would have given him an impossible order. No, this was a test, and since Yuuta’s aura wasn’t flaring with anger, Momo guessed he had passed.

“I got you something else too,” Momo grinned. He had to open the door to hand Yuuta the tray, but they both knew the teenager had no way of outrunning the century old vampire or fighting his way past. All that would do was ruin a very expensive steak. 

Yuuta set the tray on a table, then glared wearily at the eco bag Momo held out. The teen had gone from yelling to not talking, but Momo thought this was a good thing. Yuuta was confused right now - he didn’t know why he’d been brought here, and was being treated so nicely, and that confusion was helping break up his anger. 

Rummaging the bag, Yuuta scowled when he pulled out his hand. “A gameboy?”

“It’s better than just sitting here doing nothing, right?” Momo held up his palms in peace. 

“... And it’s used.” Despite his scowl, Yuuta turned it on and started sifting through the games that were also in the bag.

“I didn’t have time to buy a new one,” Momo sighed. “But those are all awesome games! I’ll get you whatever you like if you have a request.”

“... Whatever.” Yuuta put down the bag and went to the steak dinner. 

At least, Momo mused, the kid wasn’t acting like it might be poisoned. Yuuta was smart enough to know there wouldn’t be a point in something so dumb. They could kill him any time, and Yuuta had accepted that. No, Yuuta was angry because he hadn’t been able to fight Tezuka off in the first place.

“. . . Don’t you have anything better to do?” Yuuta snapped, two bites into his meal, when he realized Momo was still there.

“I...uh…” Momo could only guess, but Yuuta’s aura was welcoming. The teen wanted the company, even if it was awkward. It was natural thing for any human to want, especially if they were isolated like this. “I’ll take the dishes once you’re done.”

“Pft, it’s not like I can stop you,” Yuuta snorted, and went back to slowly eating. “Damn, I’m gonna get fat aren’t I.”

Momo shrugged, and then came up with an idea.

* * *

Getting Kaidoh, Ohtori, Shishido, and Hiyoshi to work together with him on something took a lot of bribery and even then, it seemed like every few seconds someone was about to get punched. But somehow the five of them managed to get the treadmill into the guest house.

It was good the space was so large. Between the main room and the loft, Yuuta had plenty of room to be comfortable with all that Momo had brought - the TV, the weights and mats, and now the treadmill. He tried bringing in a plant, but Yuuta refused to water it. Still, Momo felt that it would help, so he brought a new one when the first one died.

He wondered if he should try a hamster. Bringing Yuuta whatever he wanted or that Momo thought of had helped dampen some of the anger, but the root was still there, and it boiled every time Yuuta had a chance to run out the door, but knew there was no point in taking it. 

Weeks passed, and it didn’t seem like Tezuka was going to change his mind. In fact, Syuusuke stalking Tezuka like a cat seemed to only make things worse. Tezuka acted like it was the worst thing in the world, but Momo could see - literally - that Tezuka liked the attention. He was like a five year old boy, bullying the person he liked just to get noticed. It was awful.

Momo thought he himself was going to get depressed. 

He brought burgers again. Yuuta hadn’t been making requests, and it was the easiest thing Momo could get his hands on, especially on days he had other things to take care of. At least the teen’s anger was finally starting to wane, but depression had settled in its place.

“Hey,” Yuuta said, talking for the first time in days. Momo perked up, wondering if this would be another request. He would be happy for the distraction, especially if it were something weird.

“It sucks eating alone, and you’re just sitting there and all. I mean…” Yuuta pulled out a burger and set it on the table. “I was thinking about it, and I seriously should not eat two of these things anyway. You want one?”

Momo was startled. It wasn’t often he was surprised. It seemed like Yuuta genuinely wanted the company, but there was something else too, a strand of pity.

Yuuta had noticed Momo was upset, and was trying to be nice. It was unbelievable.

“... I’m a vampire, you know…” Momo bit his lip when he saw the disappointment flare. Yuuta didn’t show it on his face. He just shrugged and sat down to eat his burger.

“. . . Everyone in my family was always so fucking busy, you know?” Yuuta said, chewing on the first bite. “But Mom had a rule, that we would all eat together. I thought it was so annoying… aniki would always pick on me, slipping spicey crap into my food. And Dad would ask about school, and everything I did sucked compared to aniki.” He put down his burger and stared at it. “But it was the only time we all saw each other. Even after I moved to headquarters, we’d still meet up at least once a week. I never thought I’d miss it so much.”

He picked out a fry and jammed it in his mouth. “God the fries are good. Burger too. This place knows how to grill.”

It was something Momo had noticed, spending so much time watching Yuuta eat. Yuuta really enjoyed eating. When he wasn’t too angry or depressed, and could just sit and eat his food. Maybe because it was something to do, or because it tasted good. Or maybe… it was because Momo always hung around while Yuuta ate.

“Uh… you know some vampires do eat.. I mean it’s physically possible…” Momo eyed the burger. There was a day he would have cut off a finger just to have a piece of the bun. He wondered what it was like, to enjoy eating like that. Even now, he could remember the pains of hunger. But now that he could have all the food he wanted, he didn’t eat it.

“Try it,” Yuuta shrugged. “I mean, why the hell not.”

Momo took the burger in his hands, feeling how warm it was. He could smell it to, the barbecued meat and the heavy slather of oil. 

He took a bite, and tried not to spit it out. It was _incredible_. He’d never had a hamburger before. Hell, he didn’t even know he could still taste food, and now he was eating something that tasted this good…

“Whoa, okay, it’s not _that_ good,” Yuuta said, raising a brow and looking amused.

Momo realized he was crying. Crying and chowing down the burger. 

He thought of the time right after he’d been turned. He’d so craved for blood, he hadn’t thought to eat, even though the day before he’d been willing to chew bones from the trash. He’d never known how savory food could be, even when not eaten out of hunger.

Before he knew it, he’d finished off the burger and started on the fries. He didn’t even realized he and Yuuta were having a fry eating war until they got to the last one, and ended up splitting it. 

Yuuta was getting better. Momo was better too, when he checked his aura in the mirror. They were both less depressed, especially when they talked about whatever when eating together. Momo always brought enough for two now, though he started making his own portions bigger and bigger. He didn’t need to eat, but eating was so great he felt like he couldn’t stop. And Yuuta was right, it was even better with company. 

But after he locked the door behind him, Yuuta went back to being depressed. The teen never said anything about it. And now he was using the exercise equipment, and watering his plant. 

They talked about all sorts of things. The news, tv shows they were both watching - sometimes they watched them together - the video games, which Momo had played before. He brought in his playstation, since it was better to play with Yuuta than by himself. Yuuta started going through rpgs. 

Eventually the topics turned to history, and Yuuta would ask what it was like to live through different eras. Disco was fun, Momo thought, and whenever new technology came out, it was huge. Now things came out so fast they didn’t seem special. 

And then Momo was talking about his family, and about growing up on the streets. No one but Tezuka and Kaidoh knew about his siblings, how they’d died of starvation despite everything Momo stole. They’d been too young when their parents died and they became homeless, and their small bodies didn’t have enough nutrients yet. 

Yuuta hadn’t asked any questions, but he was comforting with his silence. His aura was sorrowful. Momo had seen so many people tell their sob stories, had seen people next to them act perfectly concerned and not feel a thing. But Yuuta understood, even if he hadn’t been there.

Momo noticed his own aura was glowing, and wondered who was comforting who. Yuuta was still depressed but had a layer of happiness when Momo came. Momo decided this worked better than getting a hamster.

And then something changed.

Momo came down the steps, and already he felt nauseous at the wave of emotions that slammed into him. He didn’t absorb other people’s emotions usually, but when they were this strong…

Yuuta’s face was white, and everything in his room was a mess. It looked like he’d been crying, but now his face was completely blank. 

“Hey……” Momo spoke slowly, “You okay?”

Yuuta stared at him for several seconds, like he was trying to remember who he was.

Finally he spoke monotonously, “You read emotions?”

Momo had never told him that.

Yuuta glanced at the tray with spaghetti and garlic bread, but didn’t move away from the door to let Momo open it. “....I need some time alone. I have the snacks you gave me. Give me two days. I want some time to think.”

Momo opened his mouth to protest, but he could see by the swirling of emotions around Yuuta, this wasn’t a good place for him. When people were in this much turmoil, it was painful for Momo to watch.

“I’ll be better when you come back,” Yuuta’s words came softly just before Momo clicked shut the door.

* * *

Two days later, Yuuta was a different person.

His aura was completely white. Momo had never in his entire long life seen anyone with an aura like that. 

It was the aura of someone who had accepted everything and was completely at peace.

“I’m sorry,” was the first thing Yuuta said. “I’m fine.” And then he waited for Momo to respond.

“I….” Momo didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what had happened to his friend. Yes, he realized, and it hit him like a train - the boy, no, man he was keeping prisoner had become his friend. But this wasn’t the same person.

“Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Yuuta smiled, and stepped back to let Momo in.

The vampire had thought the teen would be sick of dry and sugary snacks, so he’d brought soup today, along with some bread. They ate quietly, until Yuuta set down his bowl.

“I finally woke up,” Yuuta answered, even though Momo hadn’t said anything. “It hurt at first, but now I understand everything. I know what I need to do, and I’ve accepted it.”

Momo stared.

“I won’t try to escape, or anything like that,” Yuuta kept smiling, and a twinkle lit his eyes. “I’m more free now than I’ve been my entire life.”

Momo collected the dishes. He hadn’t finished his soup. He didn’t know what to say or think.

He didn’t understand.

“Please, pick what you want for dinner. You should buy enough for Syuusuke, too.”

Even if he didn’t understand, Yuuta’s words made his heart sink.

His phone beeped, and he had a horrible feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's very little of this story to go. I think the next few chapters will be an art dump XD; ehehe, Neu drew a lot of pictures where, either they spoiled the ending at some point, or the plot changed too much to make them fit in. But I'll make sure to post all of them.
> 
> Neu and I developed the idea that Seiichi would seem to die but then live... and she drew this lovely artwork. 
> 
> ["Yukimura Falls"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-001%20yuki%20death_zpsmm5vqjyc.jpg)
> 
> In the end, it worked out a little differently - Sakuno wasn't by herself, and she didn't look sad, but yeah XD; this art was the inspiration for the scene.
> 
> There's also a wonderful scene of how Tezuka first met Momo, which more or less still ties into the story:
> 
> ["Orphan" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-002%20orphan1_zps74wghlro.jpg)
> 
> ["Orphan" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-003%20orphan2_zps6qw0sdgo.jpg)
> 
> ["Orphan" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-004%20orphan3_zpsmnouobw5.jpg)
> 
> ["Orphan" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-005%20orphan4_zpsldvfjpvo.jpg)
> 
> ["Orphan" Page 5](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/17-006%20orphan5_zpscsl7peoy.jpg)


	18. Futures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choices and closure.

“I don’t have the right to say this, but I really cared about Yuuta. He meant… he was my friend. I should have…” Momo shook his head, to shake way his regrets. 

“A few days before you… the day Atobe and Tezuka captured you… Yuuta started acting weird. Real weird. And then he… he became… well, you know about how my power works. It was like he’d reached nirvana.”

Momo’s hands shook, as he took an envelope out of his coat pocket. “When I was under Sakuno’s control, I locked myself up in the same room Yuuta had been in. I’d completely avoided going there up until then. I guess when I didn’t have any of my own emotions, my subconscious kicked in. 

“And then, once her power wore off.... well I was pretty bored. I started looking around, and the first drawer I opened, I found this…”

It was a shipping invoice, folded with the words out, but they’d been scratched out and written on top of. 

_Hey Momo -_

_Sorry for acting like a jerk. I wrote this letter for Syuusuke, but you should read it too. Please give it to him later. Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance._

_Thanks - Yuuta_

“He knew I was gonna…” Momo’s voice shrank to nothing, and he leaned back with his hand over his eyes.

Syuusuke took the letter, feeling his mouth go dry. He didn’t know thinking of Yuuta could still be so painful.

_Dear Syuusuke,_

_I am writing to you because I want you to know that my death is not Atobe's, or Tezuka's, and certainly not your own fault. I know you will blame yourself, and that is why I am writing this._

_Yes, I know I'm going to die. I was angry for a while... but it's okay, now. I've realized this is the best way. And I know that I'll be reborn._

_While I was sitting in this place, I had a lot of time to think. About our family. About what you mean to me is a brother. I was always jealous of you - of how our parents loved you, revered you more than me. There were times I even acted like I hated you, and I'm sorry - but please know that, I never did hate you. I have always loved you aniki, always._

_When I realized that, after thinking for so long, something inside of me changed. A power awakened, power our family thought I never had, power I never thought I'd have. My ability - it is the same as Fuji Yumiko. Aniki, I can see the future. Not as well as she could - I know she saw much more, and much farther than me - but I saw what is important._

_It is said that Yumiko saw two futures, and only spoke of one. I always wondered why, and now I know. It was Yumiko's own choices, the things she told the family to do, that decided which future would be true. I know, because it is the same for me. I have seen two futures, and to decide between them, I must make a choice._

_In one future, everyone is happy. You, our friends, everyone at the organization... even our enemies. I see a future of peace... but that future is one without me. I cannot live, for this future to be true._

_In the other future, I am there... but I am still _here_ , in this room, in this cage. It is not a bad life. Tezuka's offspring take care of me... Momo is a good guy, I know you'll get to know him in the future, please give him a break once in awhile. He gives me whatever I want, except for freedom. And I know, better than anyone after being here, that a life in a cage is no life at all. _

_But that is not what I fear in this other future. In this future, most of our friends are dead. Our parents... Genichirou-san... Nanako-san and Rinko-san... the elders... but you, aniki, you live._

_But it's the worst kind of life._

_The elders told us that your blood, the cursed blood, would be a curse upon whoever drank it. That you would be able to control those vampires, that you would rule over them all._

_But they are wrong. They misunderstood. The one cursed by the blood is the one who bares it. The one with the cursed blood is forever sought, forever enslaved by those who've tasted it. They will capture you, fight over you - it will be terrible and bloody - and in the end, you will be kept alive, just barely, just enough that they can feed from you. It is not living at all, it is the worst kind of torture, and when I saw you, in my vision, that was when I was certain that I love you, you are my big brother who has always cared for me - not my rival, for me to hate and be jealous of - and I know, I have to save you._

_That's why I have to die. I have to die, so I cannot be used against you. And in doing so, I will free Yukimura Seiichi, who I know will be a great ally for you and all our friends._

_The truth is, I don't want to die. I have to close my eyes, and remind myself of my visions, to keep up my courage._

_I think this is the only time I will ever truly be useful in this life. But I know, I have foreseen, that I will do great things in the next one. I'm sad, but I'm not afraid. I know you will be sad, aniki, but don't mourn me forever. You will meet me again._

_Until then, please, be happy. I know that the one who will give you happiness is now by your side. I promise you, you have my blessings. I want you to be with him. I know you will be happy._

_Sincerely, and with my earnest love,_

_Yuuta_

_. . . Did the elders know?_ Syuusuke thought, his hands crumpling the paper as he clenched it. Momo reached out and took it away from him, for which he was glad. He knew he would treasure it later.

He was relieved when Momo came around to his seat and hugged him, letting him cry against the vampire’s shirt. Momo had been right to send Tezuka away. Syuusuke didn’t want know what to think about the other future, the one where Tezuka kept Yuuta locked up forever. He couldn’t even imagine being captive and sucked on by whoever claimed him. 

His one hour with Tachibana and Shiraishi had been more than enough.

Yuuta… Yuuta had died for him. Died so that that didn’t become Syuusuke’s life. And… Yuuta was a prophet. Syuusuke had always known Yuuta was special, but now that he could tell the world, it didn’t matter. Or would it? If Yuuta was reborn, would he remember? Would he feel honored that Syuusuke had shared his story?

Syuusuke realized he would, even if just to prove to everyone that Fuji Yuuta was the most valuable, most important person to the hunter-vampire alliance. Yuuta had saved all of them.

“Don’t blame anyone,” Momo said, his voice trembling.

Syuusuke wanted to be mad, that the vampire had predicted his thoughts before him with his power, but he knew Momo was right. Syuusuke didn’t want to blame Tezuka - he didn’t want to hate the same man he loved. And blaming the elders, who might have known of Yuuta’s capture and death from Yumiko’s books, but let it happen anyway… it would only drive him mad. He’d already realized there was nothing he could do, but try to change the organization for the better.

No more secrets or hiding. He believed what they were doing was good, and he wanted them to act like it, too.

“It’s what Yuuta would want,” he murmured. And by the little squeeze Momo gave him, he knew the vampire agreed.

They were going to make things better.

* * *

Sakaki closed his eyes, to remember when this all began.

_She stood as he always remembered her: hands on her hips, feet shoulder width apart, wearing western style pants as if she were born for them. Her pride was in being herself before being a woman, and Taro had the feeling her charisma went hand and hand with where that pride had taken her._

_"Ryuuzaki." He nodded in greeting, and she looked over at him with eyes that laughed a little too much, before turning back to watch the tiny girl playing in the field. Spring had decorated with a variety of flowers, small and light along with the air, which brought a soft, dancing wind of its own._

_"Grandmother!" The little girl toddled over to them, as quick as her stubby legs would take her, holding up a wreath of flowers as she ran. She was nearly to them when she tripped, falling flat on her face, her arms holding out the wreath but failing to protect it from the ground._

_"She adores you," Taro said flatly, his lids slightly drooped as he watched her pull herself up. She was trying very hard not to cry, dusting grass and petals off her dress with her chubby hands._

_"She's my two hundredth and thirty first grandchild," Ryuuzaki puffed proudly, accepting the shabby, somewhat destroyed flower wreath that was handed to her. The little girl looked up with sparkling eyes and a wide, bright smile. "Why thank you, Sakuno my dear."_

_"... I'm fairly certain you can't keep calling them your grandchildren for every generation."_

_"I was tired of adding 'great great great' and all," Ryuuzaki grinned. "I've completely lost track, anyway."_

_He responded with silence, which was how their relationship had always been. They had known each other for too many centuries to change their ways now._

_"So, my darling Taro," she whistled, widening her lips into a mischievous grin. "Have you decided to join in?"_

_He didn't bother to shake his head, knowing his answer was obvious enough. "My sister married into the Echizens. The last of my family is now tied into your alliance, which means I need to take another name."_

_"Ha, hahahaha," her boisterous laughter twisted her face, bringing out the wrinkles that had earned her the nickname Grandma Vampire. It had taken him a few centuries, but Taro now well understood how age made one beautiful._

_". . . Should you ever hear the name Sakaki, you'll know that it's me." He pressed his lips together, far too old to be nervous for her response, but feeling a slight anxiety all the same._

_Her laughter was enough of an indication that she found him ridiculous. "Quite the little loner, are you?" She cackled. "Drifting around, changing your name. I keep waiting for the day you show up and lend a hand, for someone other than yourself. Who knows - you may even like it," she added with a wink._

_He didn't meet her eyes, choosing instead to track the clouds spotted meagerly over head._

_" . . . I don't trust the Fujis. Their family relies on their visions to guide them... and it has kept them alive, for far more centuries than even our predecessors can remember." His eyes closed, a few wrinkles of his own forming between his eyebrows as he pressed them together. "They may be a family of short lived humans, but in a way, they have lived far longer than us."_

_"They do what they have to for their descendants, out of love," Ryuuzaki smiled. "And they agreed to my plan, which makes them winners in my book."_

_Sighing, Sakaki shook his head. "They keep the future for themselves. I can't believe in an alliance built on that." He drifted away, wondering why he even bothered to come see her in the first place. But he had a nagging feeling, that if he hadn't come here at this moment, he would lose his last chance._

_"I don't need to be a seer to see the future," he heard her say, her voice calm and clear over the wind. "We can't remain the creatures in the shadows. That era ended when humans learned how to kill us."_

_He made his way into the woods, silent and alone._

He looked at Keigo from afar, one last time.

Alone he would remain.

END

... Almost. One short epilogue after this.

There are also a few omakes I wanted to share, but they don't actually fit into the story *laugh* ~ the ending changed too much from what Neu and I originally conceptualized. XD;

* * *

**Alternative Universe After Story Omakes**

~ The Family Christmas Party ~

Christmas meant lights and ornaments everywhere - wreaths on every door and trees in every corner. Fuji loved Christmas growing up, invigorated by the twinkling decorations and exchange of gifts, up until the year Yuuta had died. Then nothing happy mattered, not really, not until… now. 

His first Christmas with Tezuka. 

Christmas also meant organized parties, especially for the families and the organization. There was the grand ball where all hunters were invited, and then the high ball, where only members of the four families, and the Sanadas who’d risen to the same status, were invited. Of course, Fuji had expected Sanada and Yukimura to show up. And Tezuka, no matter his past status, was there as his plus one.

What he did not expect was Atobe.

The vampire, who must have been a peacock in another life, was dressed to the nines. His dress shirt was silky, frilly, and had roses all over it. A large blue stone dropped off the long silver chain around his neck, somewhat making the deep v-neck of his shirt a little less scandalous. 

By next year, this sort of sight would make Fuji laugh, but at present, Fuji had gone so numb he couldn’t make a sound. Atobe stared right at him, with the same intense look he’d pinned him with when Fuji hung from his wrists in Atobe’s bedroom. 

Atobe took a step toward him, and he took a step back.

Atobe started laughing. “You don’t have to act like a scared little hamster every time you see me.”

Fuji’s fear turned to anger, seeing how amused the diva was at his emotional expense. “What…. what did you expect after all you did to me?!”

"You were going after Tezuka. I had to make sure you knew your place," the vampire waved his hand dismissively.

"You _tortured_ me," Fuji hissed, balling his fists.

"Oh please," Atobe snorted. "You would do the same if it was _your_ little brother."

Everyone in the room went silent, and Fuji's face drained of all its blood.

After several seconds of torturous awkwardness, Fuji stepped away, leaning against the wall with his hand to his forehead.

"I.... have something in common with Atobe..."

He tittered away, his face blank with shock. "I think I'm going to be sick."

(Meanwhile, everyone else at the party thought, “Isn’t the real problem that Fuji just admitted he would torture someone?!”)

* * *

~ The Married Life ~

Fuji and Tezuka continued the conversation between themselves that night, after they laid down for bed. 

“He’s my brother,” Tezuka sighed. “We’ve been together since we were born.”

Fuji stayed (suspiciously) quiet, his head on its side against his pillow, biting his thumb in thought.

“Don’t,” Tezuka said.

Fuji frowned and turned toward him. “Don’t what?”

“Whatever you’re thinking of doing to Atobe: Don’t,” Tezuka replied. He knew he couldn’t really give an _order_ , but at least this way Fuji knew he would be terribly disappointed if Fuji disobeyed.

“I wasn’t thinking anything really,” Fuji complained, sounding offended at the accusation. “Just, maybe I’d do him a favor and slip a little special blood in his wine -”

“- Of yours,” Tezuka cut him off by completing the thought. “That’s a terrible idea. He’ll kill Momo and Kaido, and then convince me that we should run off with you and share.”

Fuji’s frown deepened. “. . . You sound like you think you’d be convinced.”

“You don’t know how persuasive he can be.”

Fuji turned, looking at him, playing with his hair, then wrapped his arms around Tezuka’s waist.

“If you want to run off with me, you can.”

Tezuka didn’t say anything, so Fuji snuggled closer.

“Just don’t share me with Atobe.”

Tezuka stayed silent, but Fuji could see, just barely, him nod.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neu drew so much incredible artwork for this story. I will try to post all of it in this chapter and the next!
> 
> First - I've been wanting to post this beautiful piece for a long time, but couldn't because of the spoiler with Yuuta.
> 
> ["The Sacrifices"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/The%20Sacrifices_zpscv5dv82v.jpg)
> 
> Next is a scene that appears much earlier in the story, but again, Yuuta spoiler, so I couldn't post it until now. Neu is amazing, she drew this overnight, after so many back and forth emails about this story:
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-001%20Yuuta%201_zpshwfxpb2o.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 2](http://s73.photobucket.com/user/yoshikochan/media/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-002%20Yuuta%202_zpsx3va3yv7.jpg.html?sort=3&o=7)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-003%20Yuuta%203_zpsvbfdkk4p.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 4](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-004%20Yuuta%204_zps1ttcayzl.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 5](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/18-005%20Yuuta%205_zpswrdmymhk.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 6](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-006%20Yuuta%206_zpsfeaob5ra.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 7](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-007%20Yuuta%207_zps3krnnzxv.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 8](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-008%20Yuuta%208_zpsbhdzipul.jpg)
> 
> ["Yuuta" Page 9](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-009%20Yuuta%209_zpsd8zdom9k.jpg)
> 
> Oh god, re-reading this, I think _I'm_ gonna cry. ^^;;
> 
> Next up! This little omake inspired the Christmas party omake above. ^^;;
> 
> [Omake Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-010%20Omake%201_zpsnowwdycm.jpg)
> 
> [Omake Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-011%20Omake%202_zpsvcqlewac.jpg)
> 
> [Omake Page 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-012%20Omake%203_zps2gcjarxl.jpg)
> 
> Finally, for this chapter... these next few drawings don't actually fit into the story (like the omake above), because it changed too much. ^^;; But there's no way I could let these lovelys not be shared!
> 
> [After 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-013%20After%201_zps3nugmqmo.jpg)
> 
> [After 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-014%20After%202_zpsdd1m9y71.jpg)
> 
> [After 3](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/18-015%20After%203_zpszgwbgu3a.jpg)


	19. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's more to the truth than the truth.

Fuji sighed as Atobe pulled his fangs away from the hunter’s neck, while Tezuka pulled himself out of Fuji’s hole. He didn’t know how he’d agreed to this, or when he’d become so comfortable with it. It certainly was nicer than when he’d been chewed up between Kaidoh and Momo, left either unconscious or uncomfortable. And Tezuka never drank on the same day, giving Fuji time to recover.

At least Tezuka never, ever left Fuji alone with Atobe. But Fuji had never wanted to be intimate with his former rapist, and so how Tezuka had gotten him into this was a mystery, though he knew Atobe’s persistence was a huge part of it. And the elders thought it was great, because it looked like Fuji had the twins wrapped around his little finger, even though actually it was the other way around.

Thankfully he didn’t have to feed Momo or Kaidoh any more. Momo would go for as long of stretches as he could, experimentally trying to see if he could wean himself off the drug. He survived with a single feeding every six month. And Kaidoh had accepted a synthetic version that Inui, who turned out to be some sort of mad scientist, had concocted together with Yanagi. It seemed they used someone with the same blood type, with some genetic slicing. It seemed to be working, though Kaidoh said it was a little like eating fake meat. 

But Fuji had a fifth person now, whom his curse connected to. 

For months, it seemed like Seiichi could not get enough blood. He was terrified after almost killing Sanada during sex, and used a supplement before hand, but something still felt off. Finally Yanagi realized… the Council had one of Seiichi’s blood packs spiked with Fuji’s blood.

It was devastating for all of them. Seiichi had been nothing but loyal. But the Council, once confronted, insisted that it was necessary, that all three Yukimura heirs needed to be under the curse. Syuusuke could only cry out his apologies, swearing he didn’t know, and eventually they decided it must have had something to do with Yumiko’s prophecies. It was irreversible, anyway. There was nothing they could do.

With Seiichi, at least there was a polite feeding through the wrist, then the bluenette could go have a normal few months with his lover. It was only Atobe who acted needy, and of course, Tezuka drank a few times a week, while they made love.

Somehow, Atobe had wheedled his way from being under watch from the Council, to being crowned a Commander along with Sanada. Under the silver haired commander, they had rooted out several rebel families. The Council acted like they had Atobe exactly where they wanted him, while Atobe acted like he had taken control of the Council. Either way was absurd by any standard.

Seiichi and Tezuka were also given the Commander title, though at that point, it wasn’t clear what they were assigned to do. Seiichi sort of fell into position as head of the academy, after he kept suggesting changes to how hunters were trained. Tezuka, though, was always with Fuji. The other hunters began calling him the Commander of the Guard, since security at headquarters was tighter than ever thanks to him. After all, Tezuka had been the one to break through all the security there, and knew its flaws better than even Yanagi.

And Ryouma… well, he was still watching over Sakuno. On the surface, anyway. With his cover, he continued to research the Elders, and finally got his hands one of the books - the one about the Vampire War. Yumiko had been vague with her prophecies at the twins’ birth, but she’d written exactly what side they’d be on, a few years before her death. It seemed the visions came to her in pieces. 

Then Syuusuke couldn’t think anymore, as Tezuka pressed him down on his back and took his penis in his mouth. Moaning, Syuusuke arched up into the warmth, and Tezuka began a slow, wonderful procession up and down. 

Finally he came, Tezuka sucking and taking everything in. The vampires said cum was especially good. Syuusuke heard Atobe gasp as he also came to completion in his hand. The young hunter wondered who the diva had been watching, him or his twin brother. 

Syuusuke sank into the sheets, feeling content. Even with all the lies from the Council, there was no war now, hot or cold, and the tension in headquarters had seeped away, into some sort of comfortable routine. They were police now, not warriors, just making sure everyone behaved as they should. 

He felt like this was the future Yuuta wanted.

He closed his eyes, wondering when Yuuta would be reborn, before drifting off to sleep…

* * *

“. . . yuusuke, Syuusuke.”

Someone was shaking him. Syuusuke cracked open his eyes, as his brain slowly registered Atobe’s voice.

“How long have I been asleep?” He mumbled sleepily.

“Nine hours.” Atobe’s voice was sharp, but Syuusuke didn’t think much of it. He’d slept up to fourteen hours many times after being fed on before.

“Wake up. Something’s wrong with Kunimitsu.”

That along with the panic in Atobe’s voice was enough to get Syuusuke going. He jerked up, heart racing. Atobe was fully dressed, and it looked like he’d already been out and about for the day.

“What is -” Syuusuke stopped when he put his hand down, and felt Tezuka right next to him. “Kunimitsu?”

The bespectacled vampire was sleeping next to him, as he always did. Syuusuke let out of a sigh of relief. “Keigo, you scared me.”

“No, Syuusuke,” Atobe hissed. “Kunimitsu’s been sleeping here with you. _For nine hours._ ”

Okay, that wasn’t right. Syuusuke pushed on Kunimitsu’s shoulder. “Hey… hey, Kuni…” His heart began to pound again as he realized Keigo was right. Even if Kunimitsu stuck around to guard Syuusuke while he slept, he would never stay asleep himself for this long. And not waking up when he was called…

“Kunimitsu, please,” Syuusuke whispered, becoming more frantic as he realized he really couldn’t wake Kunimitsu up.

“... I’m going to get Oishi,” Keigo said, and was out the door in a flash. For once, there was no pompous tone or strut as he went.

Syuusuke grabbed hold of Kunimitsu’s shirt, pulling him up. The vampire was so heavy and stiff… and cold. Even if it had been two days since he had fed, he should not have grown cold so quickly.

“. . . Why. . . “ Syuusuke gasped, finding it harder and harder to breath. Vampires didn’t get sick. Syuusuke got sick, all the time now, since his immune system was dampened by the constant blood loss. But he never had to worry about infecting Kunimitsu or the others. 

Maybe Kunimitsu hadn’t taken enough blood. Maybe he’d been worried that Syuusuke couldn’t handle all three of the Yukimuras needing to feed from him. But Kunimitsu drank every week, multiple times. Vampires could go months with just a bite here and there and still be relatively strong. It just couldn’t be so, not for someone as strong as Kunimitsu.

Oishi ran in, with Keigo, Seiichi, and Sanada right behind him. A small crowd began to form outside the doorway, as Syuusuke was dragged off the bed, and Oishi began to exam Kunimitsu.

“If it’s blood he needs-” started Seiichi.

“I’m the first to volunteer,” Keigo cut in.

“Genichirou,” Syuusuke sobbed, clutching his best friend’s shirt. If his blood wasn’t good enough, would it make a difference if a true blood vampire’s was used?

Sanada was stony, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“. . . I don’t know what’s wrong,” Oishi said finally. “I’ve never seen a vampire in a state like this, unless….”

“Unless what,” Keigo snapped, looking murderous.

“Unless he’s dead,” Oishi finished cooley, but his hands were shaking. “I don’t see any wounds, but he’s not breathing.”

“No…” Syuusuke whimpered, and he would have collapsed on the floor were it not for Sanada’s support. He couldn’t believe… just couldn’t… that Kunimitsu would just… after everything…

“Do CPR.”

The voice that suggested it was calm and firm, and they turned to see Yanagi, strolling in with Inui in tow. The two were always together, nowadays.

“I agree,” said Inui. “CPR is appropriate. We brought a defibrillator.” 

They pushed past the crowd with the box, and everyone was too surprised to stop them.

“. . . Who the hell does CPR on a vampire?!” Keigo screamed. His claws were out, but they weren’t pointed at anything but his own arm. He was ready to tear his veins apart to feed his brother.

“They know what their doing,” came a collected, familiar voice. Echizen Ryouma stepped in, a bitter frown on his face as he glared at the data pair. “After all, they’ve read all of Yumiko’s books. Yanagi had them in his office the whole time.”

“We think we do, anyway,” said Yanagi, still overly calm, “We analyzed the information, but calculating when Yumiko’s prophecies will occur is nearly impossible.”

“Nearly,” said Inui, pushing up his glasses, which flashed, “but with this event, there is a 72% chance that this is the correct course of action.”

They had Tezuka’s chest exposed, and placed the pads for the defibrillator. 

“No one should touch the patient,” came the recorded voice from the defibrillator. “Analyzing.   
Shock advised. Stay clear of patient.”

Oishi and the two data fiends took a step back, while Sanada and Ryouma held back Keigo and the crowd. 

“Deliver shock now.”

Tezuka’s body jolted, then settled back onto the sheets, his eyes still closed. 

“Shock delivered. It is safe to touch the patient. Begin CPR.”

“Doctor Oishi, if you please,” Yanagi nodded, waving his hand to Kunimitsu.

Oishi hesitated only slightly, but then did as he was trained. 

Two breaths, then he pumped the chest for thirty seconds. He gave another breath - then stopped and stared open mouth at Yanagi.

“He’s... warm...”

“Is he breathing?” Yanagi asked unphased.

Oishi closed his mouth and looked back at his patient. No one was breathing at that point. Oishi placed his hand over Kunimitsu’s lips.

“. . . Yes,” the doctor finally sighed. 

Inui reached over and took Kunimitsu’s wrist. “There’s a pulse. 88% chance of success.”

“100% chance, since he’s waking up slowly,” Yanagi corrected.

“Humanly,” Inui added, and the two nodded at each other.

“Kunimitsu!” Both Keigo and Syuusuke cried, and ran to the bed, as Tezuka started gasping and sitting up.

“. . .” Tezuka gagged a few times before catching his breath. He squinted hard at the crowd in the doorway, even as his lover and twin surrounded him in a hug.

“What’s wrong?” He stated, looking around the room and still squinting.

“Here,” said Yanagi, handing Kunimitsu his glasses. The brunette’s eyes widened as he put them on. 

“What’s wrong with me?” Kunimitsu asked quietly, glancing slowly at his crying lover, then over at Keigo who was white in the face.

“Nothing, anymore,” Inui stated. “You’re cured.”

“Cured? I can hardly see.” Kunimitsu pushed up his glasses.

“Don’t you get it?” Ryouma huffed, walking towards the bed. “You fulfilled the prophecy.” He placed his hands on the end of the mattress and leaning forward, staring hard at Kunimitsu. 

“You brought vampirism to its end.”

* * *

Rumors of the cure to vampirism flashed like a sudden flood, then waned as disbelief kicked in. 

Even those around Tezuka weren’t sure they believed it, even when he started eating and drinking water like a normal human. Syuusuke’s world whirled around him, and he himself didn’t know what to think about the hidden secret of his power. That his blood was medicine… and it was addictive, because the physical body could sense that it was being healed.

Or something like that. It really made no sense. How could God create some people that made vampires, who could save a dying human from wounds and diseases and aging, and then make a way for them to revert back? 

“What if you get hurt? You can get sick now. What if Yumiko’s curse strikes you, the way it did Sakuno, in a delayed way?” Keigo didn’t stop pressing. He seemed terrified of his brother being human again - weaker, perhaps.

“It’s better to be human,” Kunimitsu replied, and took another spoonful of soup. “Keigo, I can feel again, in a way I haven’t in over a hundred years. I feel like everything before was a false life, and I’m finally back to being me.”

Keigo was quiet after that. They both knew it was only a matter of time before Keigo changed, too. He tried to stop drinking Syuusuke’s blood, but it was hard, and he’d already lost it and almost hurt Syuusuke in his desperation. Kunimitsu insisted he take a little bit, at least, once a week. 

Seiichi was coming every other day now, and taking as much as he could. Unlike Keigo, he couldn’t wait to become human again - to age along with Sanada. He’d cried, once he realized what was going to happen. Yanagi and Inui believed that the amount of blood, coupled with how long since his first taste, would determine how long it took Seiichi to become human. Oishi was on standby, and brushing up on his CPR skills, and Sanada was taking classes too.

What they were really afraid of, though, was what would happen when other vampires realized the rumors were real, and Syuusuke’s blood was the cure. Inui’s substitute that he gave to Kaidoh helped stay the cravings, but the data man said they weren’t yet the same as the cure. But, both Yanagi and Inui surmised, a synthesized version could be made. It was only a matter of time.

“Yo, boss!” Momo’s voice rang out across the cafeteria, but everyone was used to it. He came towards them along with Ryouma, and to no one’s surprise they had burgers on their trays. 

“I’m no longer your boss, Momoshirou,” Tezuka stated, setting down his spoon.

Momo shrugged. “With all your ranks, at least one of you’s my boss.” 

“How are the transfusions?” Syuusuke asked, looking at Ryouma as the youngest of them sat.

“Fine,” Ryouma shrugged. “Sakuno doesn’t notice the difference.”

Fuji nodded, poking at his bread. He refused to let Sakuno touch him, knowing his immunity would be gone, even though no signs of her power had emerged. But they all agreed it would be better for her to be human. 

“And what are you going to do, brat?” Keigo sniped. He and Ryouma had formed a unique relationship, which required them to throw barbs at each other at every opportunity.

“I’m not gonna turn,” Ryouma nodded. “The Echizens met last night - every member of our family was there. We agreed - No new vampires will be made.”

“The Yukimuras stopped turning generations ago,” Tezuka said. “They must have realized it wasn’t worth it.”

“I don’t regret anything,” Keigo murmured.

Syuusuke and Kunimitsu exchanged looks. “We wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for you, Keigo,” Syuusuke cooed, patting his hand. He scowled and childishly pulled it away.

“But what will happen to the organization if there’s no more vampires?” Momo whimpered, though he didn’t seem too upset since he kept eating.

“We’ll go back to what we always were,” Syuusuke smiled. “An organization for those with special powers. We’re trained to not take advantage of them, and to use them to protect. And we police ourselves. And the Fujis never stopped dealing with other supernatural beings, besides vampires.”

And become the nation’s secret army of super soldiers. It wasn’t something they talked about, but considering they had military funding, it wasn’t something they could forget.

Momo and Ryouma finished their food and left with waves. Syuusuke sat between the twins, taking his time looking at both of them. Keigo only had days to go, they’d realized, before he became human, too. His concerns for Kunimitsu were really his own terrors.

“It’ll be okay,” Syuusuke repeated, squeezing Keigo’s hand. 

He had seen how much more wonderful Kunimitsu was as a human, and he was looking forward to seeing Keigo as a human too.

Finally, he had found a use for his ability.

It turned out to be the greatest gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, every piece of artwork I have left that Neu drew for this story. The first picture was actually supposed to be after Chapter 18 (my bad) ~ I'm going to edit it in there and then later delete it here. 
> 
> [The Sacrifices](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/The%20Sacrifices_zpscv5dv82v.jpg)
> 
> Now.. for all the pieces that didn't actually make it into the story. 
> 
> [Blood Brothers](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Blood%20Brothers_zpsqgnabpw8.jpg)
> 
> [Sakuno & Ryouma](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Sakuno%20Ryouma_zpsgntkpa58.jpg)
> 
> ["Stop Playing With Your Food"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Food_zpsafly9qrz.jpg)
> 
> [Chained](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Chained_zpsg28mvf1c.jpg)
> 
> I think this goes along with Fuji being captured, or it may have been from another story Neu drew for. ^^;;
> 
> Then there's this one, I don't know if there was some point Sanada was supposed to be captured...
> 
> [Sanada](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Sanada_zpspey2brjq.jpg)
> 
> This little omake about Kaidoh and Momoshiro is actually story canon, I just never wrote it in. *fail*
> 
> ["Tezuka's Offspring" Page 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Tezukas%20Offspring%201_zps7cmgank8.jpg)
> 
> ["Tezuka's Offspring" Page 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Tezukas%20Offspring%202_zpss2fmrlka.jpg)
> 
> This next piece is a mini story:
> 
> ["To The Rescue"](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/Tezuka%20in%20the%20Organization_zpsej7ixrlt.jpg)
> 
> Basically, Fuji got hurt, Ryouma knew where Fuji was and led Tezuka to him, and Tezuka went and got Fuji.
> 
> Finally... remember that beautiful artwork of Sakuno from a few chapters back? Neumegami was working on a master piece that would have Sakuno, Fuji, and Yukimura in it. I have the WIPs here to share~
> 
> [WIP Sakuno, Fuji, Yuki 1](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/WIP%20Sakuno%20Fuji%20Yuki%201_zpsqt3phyb2.jpg)
> 
> [WIP Sakuno, Fuji, Yuki 2](http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/yoshikochan/Fanfiction/Neumegami/Final%20Chapter/WIP%20Sakuno%20Fuji%20Yuki%202_zpsqbkjtpl3.jpg)
> 
> I'm pretty sad to see this story finally over, and happy to! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the years spent writing it, especially all the countless, wonderful conversations with Neumegami, all her ideas and inspiration and artwork. It was a pleasure and an honor to collaborate with her. I've never had a creative experience like it and I don't think I ever will again. <3 
> 
> (P.S. Yuuta is reincarnated as Sakuno and Ryouma's child but uh... I'll never get around to writing it, gomen. ^^;; )


End file.
